The Prince of Rose Kingdom
by imaginary-witness
Summary: Levi is a servant for the prince and princess of Kingdom Sina, and incidentally the only survivor of a tragic raid on their company. Upon rescue, he is mistaken for Sina Kingdom's royal son and for the first time in his life is treated like a human being. As he struggles to reveal his true identity to the Rose Royals, politics brew, murder is reveal, and Prince Erwin falls in love.
1. Chapter 1

Title: The Prince of Rose Kingdom  
Author: imaginary_witness  
Pairings: Eruri  
Characters: Levi, Erwin Smith, Miche Zacharius, Hanji Zoe, Flagon, Isabella Magnolia, Furlan Church, Carla Jaeger, Grisha Jaeger, Eren Jaeger, Dita Ness, Judd, Isle, Zackly  
Original Characters: Carolina, Lana Zackly, Len Zackly, Elaina Smith,  
Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.  
Genre: Alt. Universe - Fairy Tale. Dark, Angst, Fantasy, Romance, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Suspense, Tragedy.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story: living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Because Eruri deserves a magical fairy tale.

* * *

 **Chapter 1: March, 9th**

It was quiet inside the carriage. All that could be heard was the creak of the wooden wheels and the sound of the four horses trotting along. Outside one of the horses huffed. A bird sang. The carriage continued on. The right-hand wheels sunk and pulled out of another deep puddle, causing the driver of the carriage to snap the reigns outside.

The sunlight that escaped through the leaves of the trees was filtered to a pale yellow that drifted through the carriage's windows. Pastel blue cheesecloth curtained the glass, and kept the three occupants of the carriage masked from the outside's view.

Two were fast asleep, both leaning against the other in their slumber. The third was wide awake, holding the curtain away from the window just enough to press his head against the carriage wall and watch the outside world pass by. His companions and him had watched the city turn into the village, the village turn into the fields, and the fields turn into the dense growth of the forest. The others had fallen asleep as they entered the forest, the trees blocking the sunlight and making it seem as though night had descended. That was several hours ago. Now the young boy watched as the path twisted, round and round, winding through the forest. He wondered vaguely how much longer their journey was, as they had been in the carriage for several days now driving onwards to some unseen end.

The girl moved, the deep puddle disturbing her. She pushed her brother's head off her shoulder, then straightened up in her seat and smoothed the skirt of her elaborate, pink lace dress.

"Oh, I just can't stop thinking about him." she mumbled, then swept a wayward strand of hair off her face.

The boy attempted to give her a smile, but only half of his lips twisted up and his eyes were empty of emotion. She turned away.

"Don't you have any food? I'm hungry, Levi."

"Food?" the second boy asked. He opened his eyes, then moved to sit up straight as well. "I want some food too." He gave Levi a weak smile.

Levi nodded, his shoulder-length hair swaying against his collarbones. He glanced between the brother-sister duo, then pulled a square basket out from under the bench-style seat. From the basket, he produced two slices of raspberry cornmeal cake; it was the last of snacks in the basket. He handed a slice to each of them, then sat back in his seat. It was his duty to serve them their food and not have any until they were done eating; after all he was only a servant.

He hadn't been born as a servant to the royal family. It had been a mere chance that he had even been discovered by them. Levi had been found curled up again the western castle wall one spring day several years ago, attempting to take shelter from a rainstorm. His mother had died that winter, unable to afford medicine for her worsening illness, leaving him alone at the age of four. He had managed to provide for himself for several weeks, but as the cold winter turned to a rainy spring and he found himself without a means to provide for himself, he had begun to travel on foot until one night he was forced to seek shelter closer to the large building in favor of its protection from the rain. A guard had found him and carried him into the castle. Levi had been scared and surprised when he was suddenly surrounded by royalty, servants, and several soldiers in armour. The guard that had found him asked him for his name, and where his parents were. It was the King that had taken pity on him, and introduced him as a servant to his daughter, Princess Lana, who was six years old at the time. The Queen had disapproved, finding it unacceptable for her daughter to have a male as her personal servant, but the King found nothing wrong with the difference. Two years later, the Queen gave birth to a son, and the matter of Levi's sex as a servant to the princess had finally been settled; instead he was to be Prince Len's servant from then on. But Princess Lana would often argue to own everything in the castle, so Levi was often torn between the two of them for most of his days.

Levi said nothing as his royal masters ate their fill. It was their usual routine: he would be silent as they ate. If there was anything leftover and they were generous, they would offer him some. Otherwise he was only fed two meals a day, consisting of dry breads, raw wheat, occasionally rice, and the leftover vegetables from the royal's meal. As of now, there was only another two pieces of the cornmeal cake left, and he was certain they still had several more hours on the road before they arrived at their destination, so he wouldn't be allowed to eat anyways. They were on their way from Sina Kingdom to Rose Kingdom, en route for Princess Lana's engagement. She had been arranged with the prince of the kingdom; a political alliance to unite the two kingdoms. They had been on the road for four days, and were set to arrive at Castle Rose by morning. King Zackly and his wife were to arrive a fortnight after they had arrived, which would be just before the wedding. This was according to the agreement between the two kings and the reasons for the individuals means of travel were never disclaimed. Levi wondered why they couldn't all travel together, but he was only a servant, so he didn't bother to ask.

"You haven't even seen him yet." Prince Len complained, rolling his eyes and breaking Levi back to the present in the carriage. Levi hated to admit it, but after several days of Princess Lana's lovesick sighs and wispy comments, he too was annoyed.

"I _know_ I haven't seen him. But I was _told_ about him." Princess Lana replied coolly, "He has eyes the colour of the sea, and his hair is like spun gold. He's tall, and handsome, and strong, and his name is Erwin Smith."

Levi couldn't help but roll his eyes as well. It was ridiculous that she was bragging about her fiancé to two other boys, boys – Levi doubted – that would be jealous of her arrangement to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Prince Charming.

"Not you too, Levi. You can't complain, I forbid it." she protested, her voice becoming higher in pitch. She crossed her arms across her chest and pouted.

"In my humble opinion, Princess, you haven't met him yet. You shouldn't believe all you hear." Levi replied, trying to sound reasonable as opposed to Prince Len's childish remarks.

Lana puffed her cheeks out and rolled her bright green eyes. "Boys." She murmured, shaking her head.

"It's not _that_ -" Levi began.

"I'm just...happy, Levi. I'm really happy. I'm going to be _married_. It's all I ever dreamed of as a child."

Levi's grey eyes narrowed. Lana was only two years older than him and yet she was treating him as though he was a baby. Not to mention, he grew up alongside Lana longer than even her brother had and never once did he remember her mentioning her dream of being married. He nodded twice anyways, trying not to let her complaining get to him.

"You never-" Len began.

"No, it's fine, Princess." Levi cut him off.

"I mean, haven't you ever dreamt of marriage, Levi? I know we never asked much of you, but haven't you dreamt of your future? You don't plan on serving Len forever, do you?"

"Prince Len?" Levi asked, thrown off guard. He tilted his head, several strands of his jet black hair falling over one eye. Princess Lana had thrown tantrums whenever Queen Zackly attempted to assign Levi as Prince's Len's personal servant, so to be suddenly dismissed from her service was surprising to him.

"Well, you aren't going to serve _me_ anymore. After the wedding you're going to return to Sina Kingdom with Len. I can't keep you with me. As Queen of Rose Kingdom, I'll have to get ladies-in-waiting. And I'm sure Len would rather you stay with him. But most of the servants are married back home anyways, so I'm sure you'll be allowed to grow up and have a family of your own."

Levi's eyes travelled to the carriage floor. He hadn't been told this. He hadn't even thought of it. He had lived his life so focused on the present and worried about how he would provide for himself if he were to ever be released from service, since he had seen many other servants be terminated in his time at Sina Castle, that he hadn't thought of a future for himself that didn't involve living day-to-day.

"Oh." was all he managed to say in reply.

Len stayed quiet, his bright blue eyes wide. His mouth hung open in surprise, clearly he wasn't told of this either. But he often was kept as clueless as Levi, as it was Lana that was always favored by their parents.

"Well, I suppose things will certainly be quieter without you, Princess." Levi found himself saying, in an amorphous attempt to continue the conversation.

Lana gave a weak chuckle, watching Levi with eyes that sparkled with fondness, then began to laugh. "Yes," she agreed, hiding her lips behind her hand as she giggled, "I suppose things will."

Len laughed weakly as well. "I will miss you, sister."

"Levi will keep you company, Len." She replied, "Besides, in a few years time you will be given a wife of your own. You're eleven now, but you won't be forever. Price Erwin will turn twenty-two in the autumn. A bride must be younger in comparison and right now, I am at the sweetest age for marriage. Eighteen years old is the peak of my childhood, and by next year I shall be a woman. I am to be a mother soon, and so my body is only just beginning to change in preparation for this new role."

Len made a face at her comment, and opened his mouth to protest. "Have you picked your dress, Princess?" Levi asked instead, changing the topic and cutting the prince off.

"No! I haven't even seen it! It's tradition for his mother to pick the dress though." Lana replied, her voice full of emotions. She seemed to fall for his trap of words easily, clearly overwhelmed by the prospect of marriage.

"Oh." Levi frowned for Lana's benefit. "That's...odd."

"Isn't it?" she replied, narrowing her bright eyes. "I have always tried to envision my wedding dress! I wanted it to have puffed sleeves and pearls. In our kingdom the tradition is for the bride to choose her dress. But in Rose Kingdom it's different. Like our languages; we've been taught the languages of the three main kingdoms, Sina, Rose, and Maria, but we all speak different languages, so there's also differences in customs too. That's why we're arriving a fortnight early and alone: it's so that the King and Queen can judge me to see if I'm worthy of marrying Prince Erwin."

Len rolled his eyes. Levi smirked for his benefit. He was just glad to know the answer to his question: Lana was being tested as a bride, and himself and Len were sent along to make sure that she was safe while adjusting to life in Rose Kingdom.

"Boys." Lana rolled her eyes and woke Levi from his thoughts. But she didn't stay silent, "It's not like you would envision your own wedding, Levi," she continued on. "you're a servant, you wouldn't have one."

Levi's mouth dropped open in surprise; Lana had just been asking him about if he wanted to be married. Now she was speaking to him about it with a tone of resentment.

"Oh don't look so surprised. You would have to pay for it; you are the man after all. Unless you were to marry a man, then he would pay to marry you. But I don't think anyone would want to: you're pretty for a boy, but you are a boy. Soon, when you turn nineteen, you'll be a man. Your voice has already begun to crack since you turned sixteen and you started to grow a beard, so you won't be soft and cute like a girl for much longer."

Levi began to look down at his hands as she continued to list off all the reasons he wouldn't make for a worthy bride. If Lana were anyone else, if he wasn't bound by an oath to the king, he would smack her across the face for saying such rude things to him.

But her words triggered a thought in his mind: did he want to be a bride? When she had asked him if he wanted to get married moments earlier, he immediately questioned the thought of watching a faceless girl walking up the aisle towards him to commit his life, love, and service to until his death. It was an image he found himself cringing at: he didn't want that. If things were different, maybe if he could put a face to the image – even then, he found something deep inside him feel... _wrong_. Perhaps that was one of the reasons he had been growing closer to Len lately: unlike his sister, Len wasn't talking about girls, and marriage, and settling down. Len was still very much into riding horses, learning war strategies, and training his fencing skills – all of which Levi was expected to entertain him in. But of course Len had only turned eleven, so it was natural for him to remain childish. Levi wasn't sure how he would cope once Len began to look forwards to having a wife.

A soft white glow stole his attention and he turned to look out the window, suddenly feeling very confused. The sun outside must have been setting, or the trees had parted enough for such a bright light to find its way down to the forest floor near them. He attempted to gave out the window for a brief moment, his conscious wanting to follow the light, but his mind staying on the topic that Lana had given him of simply never being enough to marry anyone in life.

Levi had become so distracted by his thoughts he found it impossible to drown out Lana continuing her verbal assault against him, each of her words resonating in his mind and amplified by his own self-doubt. "No man would want to marry a man: once you get all rough and hot-blooded they wouldn't want to cuddle you. And you can't have children, so you would have to marry a woman to have your own – it would be a scandal if you were to marry a man and ask a woman to give you a child on the side. Besides, you're a servant: most of your wages earned goes towards housing and feeding you in the castle, so you would have to save up for a long time to afford a wedding. If you wanted to get married, then you probably can afford the certification. But to have a nice wedding, which any bride would want, you wouldn't be able to afford it."

Len stared at his sister as if she had grown a second head. Levi was staring open-mouthed at the floor. He could barely comprehend what it was she was telling him. It wasn't so much the matter that Lana was behaving so arrogantly about it, but rather that she was even talking about his own wedding at all, as if such a possibility strongly offended her.

Suddenly the thought of marriage was pressing on his skull as if it were of vital importance. How could he have not thought of this himself? His mother hadn't gotten married, and that was why she had died and left him orphaned; without a partner to depend on when she was ill, there was no way they could afford the medication that would have saved her life. Would that happen to his children? Would he even be able to have children? He shivered at the thought – did he even want children? His life suddenly felt very fickle, as if he wasn't really living this whole time. If he didn't get married and have children, what would happen to him? Would he continue to serve Len, even after Len was crowned king of Sina? Would he be like one of the older servants he often saw around the castle, the gardener perhaps? Frail and thin in old age, too old to be of any real use but staying as a servant because he wouldn't have any other means of livelihood?

It was when Levi was having another existential crisis that the carriage shook. At first it felt as if they had hit another large puddle and the right wheels would sink deep down and then rise again. But the wheels never seemed to come back up. Then the carriage rocked from side to side, as if giant hands had taken hold of it and were shaking it violently back and forth.

The three inside the carriage were tossed from side to side, and slammed into the walls. They cried out in surprise, their eyes all widening in fear. They could make out the grunts of their two coachmen, at first confused shouts, then moans of pain. The horses whinnied loudly outside, protesting the commotion. They were sure the coachmen were on the ground now, since their voices were now heard off to the sides. Levi's eyes narrowed and he reached out to catch himself against one of the carriage walls. He gripped the curtain rod above the door, leaning against the carriage wall to see outside without moving the curtains.

He could barely see anything but the ground. Dark brown dirt, grey rock. A foot. The coachman's foot! Levi gasped.

Loud voices surrounded them: wordless, angry shouting. The carriage shook again and Levi fell back against the seat.

"What's happening?" Lana asked, her voice squeaky with fear.

"Raiders!" Len replied, his voice a low whisper.

"They must know we're nobility." Levi responded, "That's why they ambushed us."

"I knew we should have had an escort." Lana mumbled. "At least if they brought attention they could have defended us from it."

"Shh!" Levi hushed her. He was trying to make out what it was the raiders were saying outside. To his surprise, they spoke a language that flowed like music, their voices smooth but their tones rough: they must've been speaking the language of Rose Kingdom.

"-the nobles!"

Levi's eyes widened. "Quick!" He motioned to Len, "Change coats with me!"

Len's eyes narrowed, but Lana was quick to understand. She began to pull Len's jacket off him. "Change outfits with Levi!" she whispered urgently.

"But- Why?" Len asked, confused.

"If they go to abduct the royals, you can pretend you're our servant and escape!" Lana explained.

Levi nodded, taking off his coat and handing it to Len. He took Len's coat from Lana and slipped his arms through it.

"Here." Lana slipped the tie from Len's shoulder-length hair and ran her fingers through the neatly-brushed hair, making it a mess alike to Levi's. Levi roughly palmed his hair into a low ponytail and twisted the tie into place. Lana sat back for a moment, then gasped at the minute detail they had overlooked: the crown. With trembling fingers she reached out and took the small circle of solid gold from Len's head. She reached out to place the crown on Levi's head, but hesitated inches from him, unable to crown him herself. "Here." she hissed, unable to see Levi as he equal, even if it were to save her own life. Levi took the crown from Lana and placed it on his own head, surprised by Lana's thoughtfulness. He attempted to stammer out a thanks, but stopped when he noticed she had diverted her attention elsewhere immediately after handing the crown off.

"Shh! Shh!" Lana hugged Len close. His lower lip was quivering with fright and he whimpered softly. "It's going to be alright." she comforted him.

"We're going to put up a fight, but if there's too many of them, then, my prince, you need to get to Rose Kingdom and alert the royal family of what happened." Levi stressed, placing a hand on the boy's knee. "Take one of the horses if possible and go as quickly as you can. I'm going to have to take your place to defend the princess and give you time to get to Rose Kingdom by having the raiders come after me."

Lana tucked her soft brown hair behind her ears and nodded, trying to seem convincing to her younger brother. "Levi's right Len. We need to be safe. Levi can handle it."

Len nodded, putting on a brave face.

"Open the carriage!" the raider's called. Levi was unsure if the words were directed to them or subordinate-raiders.

"Hold the doors!" Levi commanded to Lana and Len.

The three of them scrambled to pile up against the carriage door, holding tightly to the handle so it wouldn't twist. Levi planted the bottom of his foot against the carriage wall, pulling tightly with his upper body the opposite way to keep the door closed. It was his job to keep the royal family safe. The door handle was wiggled and tugged at, but their combined weight made it impossible to open.

"They're holding it!" another man shouted outside.

A loud grunt, then something hard slammed into the thick wood of the carriage wall. Lana shrieked.

"Then we'll break it down." they heard another voice shout. Three different loud grunts were then followed by loud thuds against the carriage wall.

Lana let out a shrill scream, jumping away from the carriage door. Len leapt back as well. Only Levi held the door firmly, his limbs beginning to shake with the effort.

"Len! Lana! Don't let go of the door!" He turned to face them, his eyes wide with fear. "Help me!"

The men outside grunted loudly. Metal smashed through the carriage wall, the pointed-head of a pickaxe piercing through the wall and stabbing through Levi's heel. He cried out in pain, releasing the door and falling back against the royal siblings.

"Levi!" Len cried, "Are you alright?"

"The door!" Lana cried.

The men outside lurched forwards to pull open the door at the same time Levi fell back and slammed into the opposite side of the carriage. The force was enough to push the carriage onto its side, but it didn't stop there. The carriage slid against the pathway, just enough that the roof of the carriage slid off the road and hovered over the ditch that ran parallel to the pathway. The ground of the road was raised higher so that any rain would run off into the forest. Unfortunately, with the heavy ornately carved roof of the carriage unsupported by the ditch, and the three occupants sitting on the wall nearest the roof, the carriage continued its momentum, flipping and falling, twisting as it fell off the road and into the thickets of the roots of the tall trees, smashing into bushes and branches, and throwing its three occupants around inside.

Levi was thrown about so quickly he barely touched the walls of the carriage. On either side of himself, he could hear Lana and Len groaning as each time they hit into him, each other, or the walls, moaning as the air was forced out from their lungs. He felt lightheaded, and his foot burned. The inside of the carriage had smears of blood from where the pickaxe had been driven through his foot and from where they had cut themselves as they were tossed around in the fall. Everything was lost in the commotion: they had no sense of up or down, left or right, or even how long they had been falling. Their screams drowned out all noise, and they found that they had completely forgot about the raiders in their new predicament.

Suddenly, as quickly as the fall had started, their descent ceased. With a mighty groan, the carriage slammed to a stop on its rear end, caught in the thick, twisted tree roots that carpeted the bottom of the ditch. The three occupants were unceremoniously stopped when they slammed into the back of the carriage. Levi groaned, having broken the fall for Len and Lana. His head swam. Blackness spotted his vision and it took him a moment to realize they had stopped moving after the final wallop. Despite acknowledging this fact, he still felt as if the environment around them was still rolling around.

"P-prince L-Len?" he asked, his voice weak from shock.

The boy groaned from somewhere on top of him.

"Prince, I need you to get off me." Levi mumbled.

Len groaned, then exhaled in a choppy gasp. "Le-Le-Levi." He groaned, "I think my leg's broken."

Levi squeezed his eyes shut and swore. He wasn't allowed to swear, especially in front of Len, but he figured this would be a worthy exception.

"Try to keep it still, I need to get up and check your sister."

Lana had been unusually quiet about this whole affair after they had stopped falling, which was highly unlike her. Levi was surprised she wasn't crying loudly or complaining about her wedding. Still, he was glad for her silence, he wasn't sure how far down they had fallen so the raiders could still be nearby.

With difficulty, he crawled backwards until he could sit up, then he turned to Len. The boy's leg was at an odd angle, sticking out to the left when it shouldn't have been, and Levi barred his teeth to hide his nausea at the sight: Len's leg was indeed broken. He said nothing and turned to check on Lana. She was lying against the rear of the carriage with her eyes closed. There was blood on the carriage wall behind her head, and she didn't appear to be moving. Levi sucked in a sharp breath: Lana must've hit her head into the carriage when they had come to a stop and been struck unconscious. With her knocked out, and Len's leg broken, he was unsure of how he would even get them back onto the road by himself.

His head hurt but he forced himself to try to take the role of leader. He was their servant and it was his duty to make sure they were taken care of, even in a situation as dangerous as this. _Especially_ in a situation as dangerous as this. He closed his eyes to focus and push away the pain; he had to focus on his senses in order to grasp reality. Anything that he could feel, taste, smell, or touch would reinforce his concentration and acceptance of being in this specific moment, and it was that concentration he needed in order to form a plan on how to save them.

A single horse outside was whinnying; Levi focused on this sound. He was sure the other horses were knocked unconscious or killed in the fall since they had still been harnessed to the carriage when it had been knocked off the road. He wondered if the last one left was injured as well, or if he would be able to get it to carry Len and Lana to Rose Kingdom? He would have to walk, but that was fine: he was the servant anyways. He wondered vaguely if the coachmen were alive? Had they fallen with the carriage? He didn't think so, they were on the road with the raiders when they began to fall.

"You're bleeding." Len commented, bringing the burning sensation in Levi's foot to his attention.

He grimaced at having remembered but said nothing. His foot was in his boot, and he didn't want to pull it out in fear that it would swell and he wouldn't be able to get it back in for when he would have to walk to Rose Kingdom. His face paled; how would he walk to Rose Kingdom on an injured foot? But he couldn't make Lady Lana walk to her own wedding. He groaned inwardly; he had forgotten about his foot as he made his plan to get them to safety.

Len moaned again and swayed. Levi reached out and caught his shoulders.

"Len?" He asked in a rough voice, "Len? Are you alright? Did you hit your head?"

He knew it was a stupid question the moment it left his lips. In a fall as big as the one they just experienced, they all probably smashed their heads into the heavy, wooden carriage walls a multitude of times.

Len moaned again, but a noise outside stole Levi's attention. His hands dropped from the boy's shoulders and he turned to scramble towards the door of the carriage. He ripped back the pale curtain, not caring if it exposed them to the raiders, and took in the scene outside.

It was dark down here, dark and damp. The carriage had dropped a long way down, not into a mere ditch, but into a gulley. Levi's eyes widened in fear as he realised the situation was much worse than he thought: it would be a steep climb up; two of them had injured their legs, and all three of them had hit their heads.

To make matters worse, the raiders were approaching. Levi watched as they came closer, paralyzed with fear as he drank in their appearances. His head throbbed but he tried to commit their faces to memory: he would report them for this when they got to Rose Kingdom and he had to be able to give them the right descriptions to find these horrible men. The raiders brought with them torches and the pickaxe that had gone through his foot earlier. He backed away from the door instinctively as they attempted to pry it open, but the trunk of a large tree had pinned it firmly shut. The man then tried to smash through the square window glass, but the fire-hardened pane of glass didn't give way. Levi exhaled in relief, realizing that he was holding his breath. The men all laughed at him, then made hip-thrusting motions at him through the glass, all the while pointing at him and Lana. Levi hissed, feeling disgusted.

"What do we do?" One man asked the tall, skinny one Levi assumed to be the leader. "We can't get in, the wood's too thick and the glass won't break."

"Leave them to die there." The man spoke around a cigarette he was lighting, and his large hands and wide-brimmed hat kept his face from view. "They're royalty, we'll be hunted if they are to escape."

"That could take days," the man protested, "and we wouldn't get any of their valuables."

"Screw the valuables!" The leader barked, "It's not worth the effort of staying around to hack through the wood. That skinny assist of their's ran off! He'll probably alert someone about this soon!"

Levi could barely follow their conversation through the throbbing in his skull. It seemed his adrenaline levels were dropping and the pain was sinking in place of it very fast. He thought he heard them mention Judd, their carriage-driver's son and assistant. If he got away, he would be able to get to Rose Kingdom and let them know what happened! They could be saved!

The thought motivated Levi to attempt to push past the pain. He had missed what was said between the two men, but now they were grappling. Clearly they had come to a disagreement. The skinny man wrestled with the larger one with the torch for a moment, before the larger man lost his footing and fell back against the carriage. A large splint on the carriage dug into his back and the man dropped the torch, yelping as he jumped away from the carriage and the makeshift spear.

"Ouch! That hurt!" He cried out.

The other raiders just stared wide-eyed as the flames of the torch began to spread, licking across the varnished wood of the carriage.

"No." Levi gasped, eyes wide. "Lana! Len!" He tried to rise them, shaking them. But they had both fallen unconscious. "Lana! Len!" He tried again, speaking louder.

The men outside were backing away now, nervously trying to laugh off the fire. All at once, they turned and ran, fleeing the area as fast as they could.

"Wait!" Levi screamed, "Come back! Help us!"

But it was no use. The fire spread along the roof, rising upwards as the carriage was wrong-side-up, resting on its rear wall in the thick mud.

Levi grasped the door handle and pushed with all his might, but the door was well and truly jammed. His breathing was beginning to come in a staccato-ed panic, his original relief at the jammed door turned to horror. He made to tuck his hair behind his ears but his fingers touched nothing as his hair was already held back, and he licked his lips, turning to look around. Something. There must be _something_ that would help them escape. He turned, and that's when he saw it. The window set in the front of the carriage that opened to let them speak to the driver. Usually the window was kept up, hidden by a panel of wood that would disguise it as just a plain wall, but the panel was able to be lowered from the inside, creating a small hole in the wall whenever the occupants of the carriage would like to speak to the driver. He never imagined it would provide them with an emergency escape.

Euphoric with relief, Levi forced himself to stand, rushing to reach the window that was now on the ceiling with how the carriage was positioned, and began to unlock the fastens holding it in place with shaking hands. He coughed, the cabin of the carriage was already beginning to fill with smoke, and it was beginning to sear his esophagus as he breathed it in. He shook his head. His vision swam. He body felt drained of energy and he swayed on his feet. The fastenings unlatched and he pushed the panel to the side and down into the space the cover board would fit with his fingertips. The flames crackled around him as he stretched up on his tiptoes to reach the edges of the window. His heel burned and the ligaments in his foot sent a piercing flash of pain up his leg, but he forced himself to hold onto the ledge as his consciousness threatened to leave him. The forest was full of a blinding silver light and he fought the approaching blackness in his mind as he began to tighten the muscles in his arms and lift his chest over the window sill, crawling towards the brightness. He managed to pull his torso up and out of the window, then collapsed against the wooden boards with exhaustion, coughing as he struggled to gasp in lungfuls of fresh air. He wasn't inside anymore, and the forest air was soothing, but he was also not yet outside the carriage; rather he was bent over the windowsill, suspended between the two worlds.

Something wet and cold began to hit him, making him sigh in relief as it cooled his skin from the smoke of the fire.

Rain. It was raining.

Levi gasped in relief, it was all he had the energy to do. If the rain could fight the fire, it could buy him time to drag Len and Lana out of the carriage.

He tried to force his arms to lift himself, his legs to push himself forward through the open window, but his body gave way and he slumped over the sill. His head throbbed, his foot burned. His arms felt drained of energy. He lifted his head to look out into the gulley. The rain beginning to clump his hair into thick strands. The fire crackled loudly, hissed where the rain extinguished the tips of the flames. Levi whimpered softly as his body throbbed and gave in to the blackness that consumed his mind. The wooden wall of the carriage came up to meet him, and he collapsed, slumped over the window sill.


	2. Chapter 2

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author Notes:

* * *

Chapter 2: March, 10th 

Darkness had descended shortly after the rain began to fall. The clouds came in from the west, after passing over Rose Kingdom, and continued to rain over the forest to the east of the kingdom until dawn. The sun had begun to rise over the tops of the trees when knights of Rose Kingdom were sent out of the castle, chasing the rainclouds to the forest, searching for the royal carriage from Sina Kingdom. Earlier that morning, before the sun had even peaked above the horizon, a weary beaten man decently dressed had fled to the castle, full of panic. He explained he was a servant of the Sina Kingdom's royal children, and that they had been ambushed halfway through the forest. He was shaking as he described his escape: he had managed to unharnessed a horse and flee to Rose Kingdom when the raiders were distracted with murdering his father, the carriage-driver.

King Smith's bright eyes widened with horror and he immediately dispatched a regiment of his best soldiers to search for the royal children. That was several hours ago and the soldiers were just arriving at the entrance to the forest as the sun rose to the height of the tree tops. Judd – the carriage-driver's son – had gone with them, hoping that he would be able to point out the scene of the crime. It was still dark inside the forest, making visibility a challenge.

Miche, captain of the first squad and overseeing of the entire regiment, squinted his eyes to see further down the pathway. "How far away did you say you were ambushed?" he asked, squinting down at Judd. The captain was a tall man, standing at six foot four, he easily overshadowed and intimidated Judd.

"It wasn't too far into the forest. We entered three days ago. If we had continued as planned, we would have arrived at the castle early this morning." the boy replied.

"Hmm." Miche hummed, "Alright then." The way Judd described it, the carriage was attacked three quarters of the way through the forest, so they would have to make a quarter of a journey to search for it. He turned to face Hanji, captain of the second squad. "We'll go thirty miles, then fan out along the pathway. You'll take the left hand side of the path, I'll take the right. Nanaba will take up the center and rear. We need to be vigilant; the raiders might still be around."

"They'd be stupid to linger." Hanji commented, his voice a drawl. He adjusted the bridge of his glasses with a hand, his lush brown ponytail gently swaying. Then he shrugged, "But I suppose you never can predict raiders. Let's just hope we find the royals soon."

Miche nodded, then gently pulled on the reigns of his horse. They began trotting forwards, paying close attention to the pathway and the environment around them. The going was slow, and it was several hours before they had even made it the first thirty miles as planned.

"Fan out." Miche commanded, throwing out an arm.

The sun had risen to its highest by the time the search had reached their checkpoint. They walked slowly, inching forwards and combing the landscape in front of them for any sign of struggle or life. But they hadn't managed to see anything. The branches of the trees blocked the sun earlier than it began to set, and by late afternoon the regiment was surrounded in darkness. Miche decided to speak to Hanji about resting.

"We must've gone too far." Miche growled, frustrated.

"We're looking for a carriage." Hanji moaned, "You would think it would be easy to find. It's not like it could just walk away!"

"Captain Miche!" A voice called from the back of the regiment.

Miche rose on his toes to see the soldier approaching him, but it wasn't really necessary. He was the tallest on the entire guard in Rose Kingdom, so he could clearly see Nanaba's blonde head rushing towards him from his point at the back of the regiment. Miche's movements were obviously due to anxiety: he didn't want his army to have to stay in a forest where raiders were close by.

"What is it, Nanaba?"

"We just passed the halfway sign."

"We passed that on the second evening in the forest, long before the raid." Judd squeaked. He had remained by Hanji's side the entire journey.

Miche turned to face Judd, trying not to let his frustration be direct at him. The ambush must've happened around this time yesterday, making it a full twenty-four hours since the royals from Sina Kingdom were attacked. To make matters worse, the carriage was nowhere in sight, proposing the probability that the royals may have been kidnapped by the raiders. They were pressed for time: he could order them to return to Rose Kingdom to call for reinforcements and permission to search adjacent cities, on the off-chance that they were taken hostage, or he could order a rest and attempt to comb through the forest once more in the morning.

He said nothing as he tried to come to a decision: he didn't want to return to Rose empty-handed, but he didn't want to gamble the lives of the Sina royals on his pride as a captain. His bright eyes moved from side to side as he mentally weighed his options. Finally he spoke.

"You said they beat your father to death?"

Hanji's eyes widened; Miche was being direct about something that should have been approached sensitively.

Judd nodded, unable to speak. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

Miche's eyes narrowed. "He _died_?" he pressed, "I know it's hard to discuss but I _need_ confirmation."

Judd nodded again. "I heard him...die." he mumbled.

Miche nodded. "So...where is the body?" he asked.

Hanji's eyes narrowed behind his glasses. Miche was onto something.

"Wouldn't we have passed it?" Hanji asked. "Along the side of the road?"

"Unless they moved it or we missed it." Miche stopped and looked around. The forest was alive around them. They hadn't accounted for that. He stepped towards a tree on the side of the pathway and touched its bark: still wet from yesterday's rain. He rubbed the moist dirt between his first two fingers and his thumb. "We didn't account for the mud." he mumbled to himself.

"We didn't account for the mud." He repeated, speaking louder for Hanji and Nanaba to hear. "We have to search the ditches."

"It's too dark for that now." Hanji protested.

"We rest now. Your squad first. Then Nanaba's. Then mine. We'll do a search returning to Rose Kingdom tomorrow morning. If they're not found by then, we return and seek permission for a hostage-search."

Hanji nodded solemnly. Judd's eyes widened with fear, but he said nothing. Nanaba only turned back to deliver the order to rest to his crew.

Miche sighed heavily, then began to order the regiment to set up camp. They had several wagons they would use to sleep in, one squad at a time. The other two would be responsible for staying on guard or kindling fires. He had ordered that his squad would sleep last for a selfish but strategic reason: the search would resume when he awoke, so he would be more alert compared to the soldiers that would be awake prior to when they continued the search.

He passed time with Nanaba, first collecting what little wood was able to burn to make a small cooking fire, then ordered several of his men to cook what little provisions they had brought with them. It wasn't necessary as most of the food was dried and able to eat without heating, but he figured since they were in a dark, damp forest, the warmth and the fire would be a good protection against his men getting sick. He handed out the food and paced between the camp, constantly alert for the presence of raiders. He didn't speak to anyone, besides Hanji and Nanaba, and he kept close watch on Judd; the mention of his father's body had alerted Miche not only to their failings as investigators to consider all the facts of their environment, but also to Judd's secrecy; the man had a suspicious air about him when Miche had mentioned his father, which caused the captain of the regiment to feel uneasy about the boy's intentions. He monitored his army and mused about their surroundings until it was his squad's turn to rest for the night.

* * *

March 11th:

The morning sun didn't touch their faces, but he awoke all the same. Hanji's squad was walking around, keeping watch and putting out the fires. They had also warmed some breakfast. Miche woke his squad, handing out the small portions of food. With bread still in their hands, they climbed on their horses and began to head back to Rose Kingdom at a slow pace, careful to search for any signs that something unnatural occurred in the forest recently.

Most of the soldiers were tired. It was still dim in the forest. They continued on, squinting their eyes and leaning sideways on their horses to see into the ditches on the sides of the road. A quarter of the way back, Miche ordered several of the soldiers to get off their horses and search on foot. Judd joined them, walking beside Hanji.

They had barely gone half a mile when Judd called them to stop.

"Stop! Captain Miche! Please stop! My father-" the boy's words died shortly, emotion thick in his voice.

Miche raised a hand and ordered his army to halt. His eyes were somber as he observed Judd dragging something out of a ditch at the side of the road, before cradling the body of an older man in his arms. The boy's face was buried in his father's neck, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. He allowed Judd a moment of silence to grieve for his father's death, then he turned back and raised a hand, beckoning one of the cadets to bring a wagon forwards to act as a hearse. He stepped off his horse, handing the reins to another soldier, then took the reins of the horses pulling the wagon, guiding them towards Judd.

"Judd?" he asked, "We'll give him a decent burial."

Judd nodded, but didn't look up.

"Come now, Judd." Miche urged, "We're still looking for the royals. I know it's hard, but is this where it happened?"

Judd seemed to collect himself at Miche's question. He looked up and gazed around, as if seeing the trees around them for the first time. Miche released the horse reins, bent down and lifted Judd's father into his arms. The body was heavy and cold, with blood and dirt smeared on his face and clothes. He wasn't breathing but was no longer stiff as a board – a clear indication he had died more than twenty-four hours ago. He carried the body around to the back of the wagon, where it was wrapped in a white sheet before being loaded for transport.

Judd had risen and was gazing around in wonder.

"This was where it happened." he began, "I remember that bent tree. My father and me play this game when we're on the road for long periods of time where we point out distinct sights; he had just pointed out that same tree when we were ambushed."

"But," Hanji spoke up, stepping forwards with his arms out, palms facing forwards, "Where is the carriage then?"

Miche sniffed the air, then looked around. His sharp eyes took in the trees, the path, then the ground. He remembered the mud from last night. "Tracks." He pointed out at the edge of the ditch, the only tracks that were not erased by them originally moving east to find the carriage on the road. "The carriage must have rolled."

The regiment hurried to follow the tracks a short distance from the edge of the ditch to the sloped side, where the tracks cut off and broken tree branches revealed the wreck of the carriage further below. Miche's face paled at the sight: the carriage was heavily damaged and burned. It would be a miracle if there was any survivors.

"We need to get down there." He ordered, "Now."

He glanced around his regiment, taking in all the soldier's faces. Hanji raised a smoke flare gun in the air before pulling the trigger, releasing a bright green streak of smoke into the air to signal to the soldiers further back that the carriage had been found.

"I want you to take Judd and his father back to the castle. Right away. Take your squad of soldiers back with you." Miche commanded Nanaba.

The blonde nodded and wrapped his arms around Judd's shoulders, leading him towards the wagon. It was obvious why Miche wouldn't want Judd around to see the wreck: he didn't want the boy to feel guilty for being the only survivor.

Miche turned to face Hanji. "Me and you are going down there."

"We're going to need to rappel. The rain has turned the ground to mud, it would be impossible for us to get back out without a rope." Hanji stated, nudging the dirt below with the toe of his boot.

Miche nodded. "We'll need to take a small crew, say three others. We'll need five up here to maintain the ropes. The other ten will have to stay on guard."

Hanji nodded, then turned away to gather the equipment. "Alright, we need rope." He ordered.

Miche turned to his squad, handpicking Petra, Gunther, and Eld to go down with him. He chose Oluo, Moblit, Nifa, Dita, and Flagon to handle the ropes. The rest were going to stand guard. As an afterthought he headed over to Luke Siss, who was watching the horses harnessed to the last wagon.

"Prepare three burial sheets." he murmured.

Luke nodded, his mouth a tight line. "That bad?" he asked.

Miche nodded once, "The carriage is also burned, Luke. It would be a miracle if the two royals and their servant lived."

Luke looked down, making a soft noise of understanding.

Miche nodded, then headed to where Hanji stood waiting for him at the lip of the gulley. He rubbed his hands together, before grasping the rope in both his hands. He considered tying it around his waist but reconsidered when he toed the mud with his boot; if he were to slip and fall the rope would act like a noose around his waist and break his spine, so instead he would take his chances on tumbling down to the wreck should he slip. With his mind made up, he began to lead their descend along the slippery mud into the gulley with the wreckage.

It took them a third of an hour to reach the charred remains of the carriage safely. At the bottom of the gulley, Miche tied the end of his rope around his waist so as not to lose it, then began to investigate. The window of the carriage had been struck, but hadn't been broken, and he cursed under his breath. The glass had been fire-hardened, making it impossible to break even for them. And to make it worse, the door – set on hinges to swing outwards – was jammed by the thick trunk of a tree. He had to find a way into the carriage.

He began to walk around it, keeping a hand on the singed wood to help support himself on the slick ground. Hanji tapped the glass with his knuckles, trying to see if there was any response from the inside. Petra frowned at his side from the lack of response.

Miche's eyes widened as he stepped around the carriage and took in the sight of a body hanging out of a small rectangular window. The window was built into the front of the carriage, so that the occupants would be able to speak to the driver, but with how the carriage had landed, this was now the rooftop. Miche wanted to shake his head at himself, he was surprised he himself had overlooked it as a route of escape. The person who was slumped out of the window was intelligent to use it as an escape route, especially given that the carriage had been set on fire.

Miche immediately reached out and pulled the boy out of the window. He was short, slender, and light, and easily fell into Miche's arms as soon as his legs were pulled out of the carriage. The body was cold but not remotely stiff; a conclusion that made him think the body had been dead for over twenty-four hours, given that the rigor mortis was already fading.

"Hanji?" Miche asked. He handed the body over to the brunette, determined to gather the other two. "Petra?" He asked.

She came forwards and Miche easily lifted her up and into the carriage window.

"What do you see?" he asked immediately.

"It's dark in here." the girl replied. "And wet. It's like a small pool. The rainwater must've collected in here."

"I can't give you any light." Miche replied. "The carriage is a tinderbox. The rain must've staved off the flames, or else nothing would have been left."

He sniffed, inhaling deeply. His nose was beginning to run, making scents seem sharper than usual and being at the bottom of the gulley only increased the scent of petrichor and mosses. It bothered him to have his sense of smell so played with. It was cold and damp at the bottom of the gulley. He wanted to hurry this up and get back up to the where the sun actually met the forest floor.

"I found them." Petra replied after several minutes. "Sending the girl up first. Both have head injuries."

Miche nodded. "Alright."

Petra was a small girl, standing at five foot one, but she was strong. She dragged the princess over to the front of the carriage, then lifted her up so that Miche could reach inside and haul her out. He handed the princess over to Eld.

"Another boy. Careful, he's got a broken leg." Petra replied, lifting the second body up to Miche.

He huffed in response, then handed the boy to Gunther. Afterwards he came back and helped Petra out of the torched carriage.

"There's blood all over the walls. I assume they took quite a beating in the fall." She immediately reported.

Miche huffed again, "I agree. The raider must've torched the carriage to hide the evidence since they couldn't get in it."

Petra nodded in agreement. "He was smart to find a way out." She finally stated, "That first boy."

Miche nodded.

"Two boys." Hanji muttered. "Do we know who's the Prince?"

"Rumour is the Prince had dark hair and fair skin." Miche replied, then shrugged.

Both the boys were dark-haired and fair skinned; they would need someone to confirm identifications. However, the first boy appeared to be more lavishly dressed; a thick, expensive coat with trim and gold buttons and his hair neatly held back in a ponytail were clear indications that he was no servant. Miche reached out and brushed his thumb across this boy's forehead, intending to push the hair back from his face and wipe off some of the dried, dark blood, when he thumb felt something solid and small resting on his head. He scowled, then rubbed his palm against the boy's forehead, surprised to find the damaged and bloody evidence of a crown.

"But from their appearances, I'd say the prince was the one who was smart enough to climb out." He took the body from Hanji, then surveyed the eyes of his small crew. "Alright, we're heading back now. Petra is going to lead. Followed by Eld, Gunther, myself, and you'll bring up the rear, Hanji. The strongest men in the middle will carry the bodies."

They all nodded in agreement.

It was a tough ascent, and slow going. They took one step and the mud would slide them back two steps. They were burdened with bodies that weighed them down. Miche grunted with the effort and shifted the body against his chest, shifting it so that the boy's head would rest on his shoulder. He splayed his fingers out against his back, holding him against his chest. Never did he imagine he would be hugging a stranger's corpse so close to his chest. Gripping the rope tightly in his other hand, he took another step up the muddy hill, trying to brave through the uncomfortable task. And then he felt it. A cool breeze on his neck. He nearly dropped the body in surprise. A breath!

"Hold! Hold!" He ordered.

Bracing his feet in the mud, he released the rope and shifted the body so that he could rest the boy on his thigh, then shook him by the shoulder's gently. Several strands that had escaped his ponytail swayed and his lips parted, and then his eyelashes fluttered and opened. The boy whimpered, then coughed, and Miche's eyes widened with fear and relief.

"You're alive?" he asked, surprised that one of them managed to survive the fall. Especially after being left out in the rain. His body was still frozen. "You're alive." He breathed afterwards, confirming it.

The boy's breath was heavy and shaky after he regain consciousness. His silver eyes glanced around and his hands struggled to come up to hold Miche's forearms.

"The princess-" he began.

"I know." Miche replied, tucking a strand of hair behind the boy's ear. "We got them. What is your name? Name, what is your name?" he clarified himself after noticing the fog beginning to cover the boy's eyes again. He was slender, pale, and dark-featured, but he was quickly becoming exhausted with being conscious yet again. Miche struggled to gather information from him, hoping he would survive, fearing that he would die on the way back to the castle.

"Levi." The boy replied.

"Levi?" Hanji asked, "The Prince was Levi, wasn't he? Or Lev? Or Len? I can't remember."

Levi's swayed, moaning softly. A thin stream of blood escaped the corner of his lips.

"They all started with an 'L.'" Miche replied over his shoulder. He turned his attention back to Levi, his eyes widening in alarm. Glancing him up and down in silence for a short moment, he attempted to hold the boy's gaze – there was something about the boy's eyes that made him hesitate on his words. Then, taking into account the formal attire he was wearing and the band of vibrant gold around his head, he came to a quick decision. Licking his lips, he seemed to make up his mind and nodded at Levi once, his eyes dark with decision, then turned his attention to the front of their lineup.

"Prince Levi is alive but injured. Advance quickly."

Levi fell against Miche's shoulder, his eyes closing again. He shivered, his breathing raspy and his voice weak. "I'm not-"

"Shh." Miche whispered into his ear, holding him close to his body as he ascended the muddy hillside. The prince's words were hard to make out; asides from being wrought with fatigue, his words were oddly twisted and rigid in comparison to the flowing, romantic language of Rose Kingdom, evident that he was used to speaking another tongue. "Prince Levi, you must've just hit your head."

Levi closed his eyes and leaned his head against Miche's shoulder, feeling his heavy hand on the back of his head. He wasn't sure why the man was referring to him as a prince, but surely the soldier was mistaken? His head throbbed and his mouth wouldn't move in the way he tried to make it in order to inform the man he was mistaken. The soldier was warm and kind, and Levi felt like he could trust him. He barely had the energy to wrap his arms around Miche's shoulders. 'Prince Levi is alive.' He couldn't smile at the words. His brain pushed past the title. 'Levi is alive.' So did that mean...Lana? Len? He wanted to ask. He wasn't able to ask. The steady, repetitive rocking of their bodies as they climb was oddly soothing. Against his will, he found himself falling asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes:

* * *

Chapter 3: March, 12th

The gates of the castle grounds were opened as the regiment returned. Miche rode in first, followed by a wagon that held two bodies wrapped in white burial sheets. He had kept Levi in his lap, holding him against his chest as they hurried back to the castle. The boy hadn't woken since their ascent up the gulley. He was cold and his slender body trembled against Miche's, but he was still weakly breathing. Miche had kept a firm grip on the boy, determined to save his life; from the brief time he had been with him, it was obvious to the captain that the boy was a fighter and that he would fight through this and survive. They raced through the fields between the forest and the out-skirting village, along the main road leading up the city, and finally onwards towards Rose Castle.

After several hours of travelling, just as the sun was beginning its descent in the sky, Rose Castle came into view. Rose Castle made Sina look small in comparison. Large, clean, and made of a vibrant white stone, Rose castle was bright and grand. A great wall with a large black, iron gate was immediately visible, surrounding a large courtyard. Besides its large entrance building, the castle had several tall towers and turrets all extending to form east and west wings, fading back into the lush, coastal scenery behind it, and still one could see tall towers gracefully protruding from the backside of the castle as well. Large bold green banners decorated the castle peaks and walls, with a bold wings sigil representing the royal family.

The sight was wasted on the returning regiment, most especially Miche. Rose Castle had been his home his entire life so the grandeur of the building had become a common sight to him. In fact, the grandeur of the whole city had stopped surprising him. However, he did wished Prince Levi were awake to take in the sight; it was something he thought he would appreciate. He, himself, enjoyed flaunting his hometown, often being teased by his friends for being so patriotic.

Nanaba was waiting for them in the courtyard. Miche dismounted from the horse, then lifted Levi into his arms and cradled him to his chest.

"Judd left." Nanaba informed Miche, approaching him. "He took the escort of Lance's squad an hour ago."

Miche growled. "Fuck." he sighed, "How are we going to identify the bodies now?"

Nanaba shrugged. "I told him that we may be in need of that service and he told me that it was more important to him that he buries his father back home within the week. Something about it being his death-wish. It is a five day journey if one has a horse, at least a week if they have to walk."

Miche made a sound of understanding. "Alright. He's gone. That's one worry off my back. I suppose he could inform the Sina Royals of the accident as well, let them know to come earlier."

Nanaba nodded. "He was given a letter from the King."

The pair fell into a moment of silence, in which Nanaba glanced from Miche's face to the boy in his arms. "How many bodies?" he finally asked.

"Two." Miche replied, "This one is alive."

Nanaba's eyes widened and he observed the elegantly dressed boy. "The Prince lived?"

"He woke up when we pulled him out of the wreck. He's still breathing. Have the bodies taken to the medical ward for examination and identification. I'm going to find Carolina."

Nanaba nodded again and proceeded to head to the wagons. Miche began to head in the opposite direction, through the grand French doors towards the south-eastern wing of the castle. On his way, he turned down a southern-facing hallway and stopped to hail a young servant boy with bright green eyes and mop of brown hair.

"Eren!"

The boy came racing over. "Yes, Sir Mike?" he greeted him, saluting him in the way that Rose guards were often saluted, with an upright fist held to one's chest.

"Where is your grandmother? I need her to come to the medical ward immediately."

The boy nodded, eager to be of use to the guards, and turned away to find his grandmother.

Miche shifted the Prince in his arms and turned around, heading out of the hallway and up the staircase to the second story. The south-eastern wing had the royal kitchens on the bottom and the medical ward on top. Upon entering, he could see two beds in the far east corner were curtained off, no doubt housing the bodies of the princess and her servant. He laid the Prince in the bed in the far west of the room and pulled a curtain to keep him from seeing the others.

He brought a bowl of water and several cloths over, and began to wash the boy's face when Carolina entered.

"Oh you don't have to do that. I'll have my daughter help me." She began.

Miche smiled, Carolina was always so motherly to him.

"Thank you." he stated, handing her the wet rag. "Judging from his appearance, I'd say he's the Prince. He was hanging out of the discussion-window when I found him, so he clearly has the intelligence of one."

Carolina laughed airily, taking over the duty of cleaning up the prince. "Yes, only one trained in warfare would think to use that window as an exit. He was probably planning on getting out and then having the servant assist him with his sister's escape."

Miche nodded, watching Carolina beginning to clean the prince up. She mopped across the prince's face with the rag, then rinsed the cloth in the water again. She repeated the process until she was sure his face was clean, and then she placed the rag in the water and attempted to take the crown off the boy's head. Her eyebrows knit together and her lips form a frown when she realized it wouldn't budge.

"Perhaps my hands are slippery. Could you-?" she indicated to the crown, knowing that Miche's strength would certainly prove more useful than her own.

Miche smirked, coming around the old lady and attempting to pry the crown off the prince's head with his fingertips. He frowned as one side seemed intent on staying put, so he turned the prince's head away from themselves to inspect the reason: the right side of the crown was dented inwards - probably as a result of the carriage falling and knocking its inhabitants around - meaning it was unlikely to come off without hurting the boy.

"I think it's broken." Miche frowned, "We're gonna have to pry it off somehow."

"It's solid gold!" Carolina exclaimed, "How is it that it broke?"

"I suppose the fall?" Miche mumbled, "But that seems unlikely."

"Is he hurt because of it?" Carolina pressed.

"Perhaps?" Miche replied, unsure himself of how bad the injury would be. "I'm sure he hit his head, the carriage was deep in the gulley."

Carolina covered her mouth with her hand. Miche examined the crown, feeling out the dent with his thumb. He hissed and pulled away, examining his thumb and swearing as he sighted the bleeding. "The crown is broken." he confirmed, "I think it's a straight-cut break. I can try to pry it apart?"

He wrapped a small length of material around his thumb so his blood wouldn't mix with the prince's and then set to work on attempting to shift the gold, even a fraction of a space, so that the crown could come off. "I suspect that this would be a point were the crown was soldered, so it was either very thin or was poorly smithed. That would be why...in such a fall...it would...break." Miche huffed with the effort, as the solid gold wouldn't budge the same way the one point of the crown had.

"How are we going to get it off?" Carolina asked.

"I'm afraid the physician is going to have to do something about it. Perhaps use some oils...it would still scratch him though."

"Can you-" Carolina asked, unable to finish her question.

Miche sighed. He didn't want to risk hurting the boy, but he realised that Carolina wouldn't be happy to leave it to the castle physicians. He nodded, then looked to Carolina. "Could you fetch some-"

The old lady handed him a bottle, smiling coyly at him as if she had been prepared for this all along. "I thought it would come in handy." She mumbled shyly. "Princes always have jewelry; I remember needing to oil off rings from swollen fingers all too often."

Miche nodded, smirking, then dropped some of the oil on the boy's temple. He moved the sharp edge of the crown that was pushing into his head very slowly, attempting to let the oil run between it and the boy's skin, then lifted the left side of the crown.

"Easy now," Carolina coached him, "Lift it level."

Miche huffed heavily, afraid to hurt the boy. At the first sight of fresh crimson blood drops beeding up from under the sharp gold he grit his teeth and hissed, but in an effort to keep from making the wound worse, he continued lifting the crown upwards as slowly as he could. Carolina reached out and pressed the boy's hair out of the way, pushing down on his temple to give Miche some more room to work with, until together they had finally removed the damaged golden crown from his head.

"What shall we do with it?" He asked, setting the crown down on the table beside the boy's bed.

"We could send it for repair?" Carolina suggested, "Or have them melt it down into another crown?"

Miche shrugged, more concerned with the prince's well-being. Taking a cloth from the bedside table he pressed the cloth against the bleeding for a moment, then pulled it away and dabbed gently against the boy's skin. Having cleaned the wound somewhat, he was relieved to find that the wound resembled a large cut, and not a deep gash, as he feared the gold would have impaled the boy's skull if given the right amount of pressure.

"Well, now you can clean him up good and proper." he replied, taking a step back. He glanced at the door, and noticed the small boy watching them with his large green eyes full of interest. He wagged at finger at the boy, having caught Eren's eyes as he peered around the corner. "Go fetch your mother now." he ordered him, then smiled at Carolina. "What's going to happen to the wedding, Carolina? The Princess...she-"

"Shh!" Carolina hushed him. "You and I both know Prince Erwin will be relieved. We're going to have to take care of the Prince until he is well enough to leave, so I expect the wedding will just have to wait. Their messenger-boy has left to alert King Zackly, you know."

"I know." Miche murmured. "Any word on the raiders?"

"None. I expect King Smith will have you combing the lands for their whereabouts though; it would be shameful to be empty-handed when King Zackly arrives. Especially after all the political turmoil. Oh, look at the state of the poor dear's foot! I wonder how he got injured like this?" She had removed the prince's boots and was gazing at his bloody and swollen right ankle.

"I will have to ask him when he wakes up." Miche responded, indifferent to their dual-conversation on the state of the Prince and their Kingdoms. "I anticipate _more_ turmoil. With all the friction between the two Kingdoms lately, I wonder if they would accuse us of having murdered their daughter?"

"And not their son?" Carolina replied. "No. I would hope they would be smarter than that. This was supposed to be a marriage of union."

Miche nodded. "They could accuse us of hiring the raiders. It was a close call that the prince even survived. We'll just have to wait and see." He sighed, sounding pessimistic.

"Indeed."

Carla entered, a tall lady with her long brunette hair tied in a low ponytail. She ushered her son from the room, then came to help her mother clean up the Prince.

Miche took her entrance as the signal for his leave. He nodded to her mother and her, then left the ward and began to head to the throne-room. He was expected to report the search outcomes to the king, who was by the time made aware of his return and awaiting him in the throne-room with his son, Prince Erwin.

* * *

When Levi finally awoke, the room was a vibrant white. He squeezed his eyes shut tighter to try to block out the light, but it was impossible to ignore. Fully conscious, he squinted his eyes and glanced around. Above him was nothing but clear blue sky, and it took him a moment to realize the ceiling was made entirely of glass.

He managed to sit up and looked around himself. There was a white curtain to his right-hand side, and a small side-table. He was lying on a soft white bed, dressed in a long white nightshirt. With difficulty, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stared in interest at the white wrapping that encircled his right foot and ankle. All too soon he remember the stabbing pain from the pickaxe going through his heel. He shivered and shook off the thought. Len and Lana, he needed to find them. He looked around and found two wooden crutches leaning against the side-table. He took them and began to stand, struggling to bend down and place a slipper on his left foot.

"Prince Levi?" A soft voice interrupted him. "You're awake?"

Levi looked around until he saw who had addressed him. An elderly lady was standing in the doorway, wearing a long black dress and white apron. Her hair was more silver than brown, and piled up on her head in a messy bun, and her rich green eyes were bright with relief. She approached him with ease, unlike the elderly ladies in Sina Castle, and reached out to fix the nightshirt on his shoulders.

"How are you feeling? You should rest a bit more, your highness."

"I'm- Wait, what?" Levi found himself stammering. He couldn't tear his thoughts away from Len and Lana. He realised the woman may not have been able to understand him, given the puzzled look she gave him, so he pressed his palm against his right eye, trying to recall his lessons alongside Prince Len, when he was being taught the language of Rose Kingdom. "I'm- I'm sorry, what's- wait." he tried again, deciding to use the common language between the three kingdoms and not the rigid, heavily structured language that they used in Sina only.

"You can speak Rose!" The lady perked up immediately, her initial fear that she wouldn't be able to converse with him gone. "Would you like some food, prince Levi? I can have some sent over. Just please rest." The lady guided Levi back to sitting on the bed, then took the crutches and leaned them back against the side-table. "My name is Carolina. I've been assigned to look after you here at Rose Castle until you've recovered fully."

Levi's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. He never had anyone care for him before, not since his mother passed. It was a foreign concept to him and that made him feel embarrassed. Not to mention the fact that he was beginning to have his old lessons return to him in a rush; for the first time he understood that the woman had mistaken him for the prince. He wanted to correct her use of the title, but he was surprised that he was even being spoken to and cared for.

Carolina smiled as he blushed. "Look at that! Colour in your cheeks already!" She turned to leave. "I'll be back with your breakfast."

"No!" Levi began, "Please, wait!"

He didn't want to be alone just yet. Carolina might have mistaken him for the Prince, but he wanted some answers before he corrected her. If he told her he was just a servant he might not be told anything at all, as he usually wasn't back home.

Carolina's eyes widened in surprise. She turned back to face him, "Yes, your highness?"

"What happened to the others?"

"The others, my dear?"

"Len and Lana?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry, dear Prince."

Levi's face paled, and he eyes grew wide. For a moment he couldn't bring himself to words. "You don't mean-" he began, "You don't mean-" he whispered a second time, but he just couldn't say the words.

Carolina nodded solemnly. "They told me not to tell you, but since you asked, your highness, I would rather not lie to you."

Levi nodded in understanding, barely aware that the old lady had come and taken hold of his hand. He stared down at the bed sheet, trying to determine what he was feeling in the moment. It felt as if the whole world was falling away, his life as he knew it was slipping out of his grasp.

"H-h-how?" he choked out.

"The doctors determined it was because of how they hit their heads." Carolina replied, her voice grieved. "Lana's neck was broken in the fall, and Len died of either a brain hemorrhage, blood loss, or smoke inhalation."

Levi exhaled heavily, emptying his lungs of air. It felt wrong to have been the only survivor. He was their servant, he had failed in his duty to keep them safe. He remember how he attempted to keep them safe, how he tried and failed to open the discussion-window and pull them out when the carriage caught fire, how he tried and failed to hold the door closed, how he tried and failed to change coats with Len to confuse the raiders-

He stopped. He had tried to confuse the raiders, but had he confused the wrong people? He looked down at his arms, as if seeing them for the first time. "My clothes?" he began to ask.

"We washed them, my dear. But we brought you some new ones. I'll bring you a change of clothes after you bathe later on."

Levi nodded. His tongue felt heavy. He looked up into the old lady's bright green eyes and the words died on his lips. He had to tell her. He had to tell her before the rumour would spin out of his control.

She reached out a hand and caressed his cheek, and he found himself sighing at the contact. It felt good, it felt so good to have someone care about you, to have someone hold you when you were just collapsing with pain. How long had it been since he last had a person care about him because they were genuinely concerned and not just wanting his service? He closed his eyes and allowed himself to indulge in just this one moment of acceptance.

"My head?" he began, "It hurts."

"Yes," Carolina replied, gently guiding him to lie down again. "You hit your head too, my Prince. But don't worry. You'll get better. You just need to rest." She brought the sheets up to his chin and tucked his hair behind his ear.

"I don't want to sleep." he mumbled, but the blackness was already closing in on him. The bed was warm and inviting. He couldn't keep his eyes open as he was moved, even though the room was so bright. The darkness clouded over him, and he fell back to sleep.

* * *

"How is he?" Miche asked, having come to the medical ward immediately after his shift ended for the day. After having given his report to the King in private, he was sent to patrol the wall for an hour, before he was called back to sit with King, Council, and Prince Erwin. After much debate, in which the King agreed with him that there would be controversy regarding the death of the Princess and what implications it would have between the two Kingdoms, it was decided that they would call a recess until the same time tomorrow to give them time to think.

 _'I don't think it would cause us any problems,' Grisha countered, 'The Prince is still alive.'_

 _'Yes, but they might say that we paid the raiders to attack the carriage.' Miche argued, 'If that's the accusation, we have no defense on the basis that the raiders could have fucked up.'_

 _Grisha scowled, but said nothing in reply. He knew Miche was right._

 _'Well, what about the treasury?' King Smith asked, 'Couldn't we prove that we haven't paid any of the raiders?'_

 _'How would we do that?' Prince Erwin countered, 'We obviously wouldn't have kept record of it.'_

 _'What if we have the raiders?' Grisha countered, 'What if we caught them before the Sina Royals arrived?'_

 _The courtroom fell into silence. Eventually Miche hummed in agreement. 'But how would we find them? The only one that may have seen them is Prince Levi. And even then, we have no idea if the raiders are still nearby.'_

 _'It...is a...big gamble.' King Smith agreed. 'It could waste our energy, resources, and time going after the raiders. But it seems to be the only option we may have at proving our innocence to the Sina Royals.'_

 _'They won't believe it, father.' Prince Erwin countered, 'They would assume we hired them as well.'_

 _The courtroom fell silent again._

 _'We are already have problems with Kingdom Maria. Kingdom Ymir has recently taken over Kingdom Uri, and the threat is too great to ignore. If we lose our alliance with Sina, we are leaving our Kingdom wide open.' King Smith explained in frustration._

 _The building political conflict was familiar to everyone, having been brewing for the last five years. King Ymir was taken over by a foreign power, and the new dictator – Zeke – had started a chain reaction of events that eventually shook the citizens of Kingdom Rose. Still, no one chastised the King for reminding them._

 _'Let's break until tomorrow.' Grisha spoke, 'We have time to decide if we want to send out a regiment to search for the raiders. We would have to ask Prince Levi of their appearances , so perhaps that is the best we can do for now.'_

But it wasn't only because he needed a description of the raiders for tomorrow's council that he had come. Miche was genuinely worried about the young Prince, having been the soldier that found him. In a sense, he felt like it was his duty to protect him, and that he would fail in this duty to serve the King if he were to fail in saving the young Prince. At the same time, he couldn't lie to himself: he was curious about how Prince Erwin would find the young Prince Levi – contrary to what was written about the Sina Royals, Prince Levi was polite and understanding, nothing like the spoiled brats they were anticipating. But perhaps a near-death experience would change a person?

"He's better than he was. He woke up this morning and again for a late lunch." Carolina informed him. She was seated in a chair beside Levi's bedside, brushing his hair off his forehead with her fingertips.

"Did he speak to you?" Miche asked.

"He asked about Len and Lana." Carolina answered, "I told him that they passed away in the accident."

Miche nodded, "It's for the best that he knows the truth."

There was a short moment of silence in which Miche noticed the curtains in the far east were pulled back again. The beds were empty. The bodies must have been moved during the day.

"His leg is looking better. I changed the dressing after he ate. The wound isn't festering, it should be healed within the week. And the wound on his head is much better. It has scabbed over, but I covered it with a dressing again anyways. It will take time, and probably scar, but it's mending well."

"You don't mind looking after him, do you? I know you normally keep an eye on Eren."

"Eren has his mother." Carolina sighed. "Prince Levi has no one right now. The way he looked at me this morning when he heard the news...it was like his whole world had fallen apart."

"They were close, I assume." Miche nodded. "Perhaps we should introduce him to Prince Erwin? They are relatively close in age. And class. It might ease their grieve some."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." Carolina agreed. "Perhaps in several days when the prince is feeling better and his foot has healed enough to walk, we can arrange for them to have lunch in the gardens? Boys bond well over food." She turned to give Miche a knowing smile, having treated him to lunch with Erwin many times in their adolescent years.

Miche smirked, remember the memories as well. "That sounds like a good idea. I should inform Prince Erwin before I retire for the night."

Carolina had turned her attention back to Levi, observing his face as he slept. "That's a good idea." she repeated to Miche.

Again they fell in a small lapse of silence.

"He seems much older than I recall anticipating." Carolina began.

"Perhaps you confused him with their servant's age?" Miche offered as means of an explanation. "It makes sense for them to have a servant that would be younger than both of them; clearly he was bought after the birth of the boy. No royalty would ever buy their daughter a male servant, so her servants must still be in Sina Kingdom."

"You're right," Carolina agreed, "It makes sense that Len is the servant."

"When were the bodies moved?" Miche asked, changing the subject so they wouldn't lapse into another silence. He felt uncomfortable with the topic of Levi not being the prince.

"After he fell asleep, when I was redressing his foot. The medic oversaw it. They won't last above-ground long enough for the Sina Royal to arrive, so we placed them in stone tombs in the underground. Hopefully the cold will keep them long enough for a quick viewing."

Miche nodded, feeling his stomach flip at the thought. Five days until Judd informed King Zackly of the accident, five days until King Zackly arrived. Ten days at the earliest for a viewing. And they were already a day or two old, charred from fire and then bloated with water. A shiver ran up his spine; he would hate to be the one to view the bodies.

"So?" he pulled at the word, afraid to ask what was really on his mind. "They really...they really are?"

"Dead?" Carolina asked in a voice that only a wise old lady could use. "Yes, they are dead, Miche." she stopped petting Levi long enough to meet Miche's eyes. "The medic worked on them all day. First to see if there was any chance at reviving them, God bless, but afterwards on determining cause of death."

"I'll have a look at the report before council tomorrow." Miche nodded.

"Yes, that would be for the best." Carolina replied, returning to brushing Levi's hair. "You were always one to need the facts, Miche." She teased him, "Even when you bring in the bodies yourself."

Miche smirked and tilted his head knowingly, before kicking himself off from where he was leaning against the wall. "You know me better than I know myself, Carolina."

She grinned at his words and waved at him.

"Have a pleasant night, dear."


	4. Chapter 4

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 4: March, 15th

Carolina was waiting for him when Levi awoke the next morning. She had been waiting for him to awake each day for the past two days as well, always offering him some small form of food, such as porridge. She would sit by his bed all day, watching him, bringing him food, and keeping him company. The first day they had sat in complete silence for hours on and off, not meeting each other's eyes. The second day, she had begun to tell him small things about Rose Kingdom and her grandson, Eren, who was still a young boy and often got into trouble. He hadn't said much in return, or offered much to the conversation, but from the expression in his eyes Carolina could tell he was glad for her company, and so she continued to make the effort in befriending the young man. Other than their short and often one-sided conversations, and the meals Carolina tried to regulate him to eat, Levi had slept most of the two days away, which she had reasoned was good for his head injury. The second evening she had helped him up and walked him around the room to make sure his blood wasn't clotting and see if his head injuries were clearing up. Levi admitted he was fine but exhausted, before returning to bed and almost instantly falling asleep. Today when he awoke, he was greeted by Carolina with a steaming cup of black tea, some warm buttered toast, and red apple slices. "Just to start small." She had explained with a sweet smile, "We're going to try to get you back onto heartier foods now, dear prince."

He ate gratefully, usually never given the privilege of tea in Sina Castle, and once more - just as with every meal he had - was reminded that he would have to confess to Carolina about his identity soon. However, each time he opened his mouth to speak, she would prompt him to eat rather than speak, and he found himself recalling when Lana had told him that Rose Kingdom had different traditions than theirs – just as they had with the design of the wedding dress. He respectfully followed what he assumed could be their customs and remained silent for the rest of his meal, not wanting to appear disrespectful after all the old lady's hospitality.

"Now," Carolina began, "I think you may be strong enough to get out of bed for a bit today, so I brought you some clothes and my daughter, Carla, drew you up a bath. Let's go get you properly washed up now, no more sponge baths. I think walking bit more today will help you heal faster. And a change of scenery will do you some good."

Levi's eyes widened, he had planned to tell her he wasn't the prince after eating. Taking his alarm for concern of his injuries, Carolina smiled and offered him her arm to lean on. "Come now, up you get. I have your crutches here, and it's not that far to the bath, it's just upstairs. You'll feel better after walking again, it's good for you."

Levi blushed at her touch again, and before he could fully process what was happening, he was handed the crutches and following the old lady to the bath. He bit his lower lip, trying to suppress his feelings of guilt. The castle was beautiful, the people he encountered were kind. Sina Kingdom was nothing like Rose, and he found himself indulging in the privileges given to him. He had never had a warm bath before, and he caught himself planning to hold his tongue about his confession until after he had experienced that as well. After all, 'what's just one more experience?'

Carolina led him down the hallway and into the grande hall, and Levi stopped to gaze around in wonder. The hall was bright and spacious, but he wasn't given the time to fully appreciate it. Carolina guided Levi to stand in between herself and the railing on the stairs and began to help him ascend them. Carla was coming down when they began to head up, and she rushed down to help, taking over for her mother so that she could support Levi's weight as he climbed.

"We should have called Captain Miche." Carla sighed.

"No bother," Levi replied, taking his first step on the top landing. "We made it, thank you."

Carolina chuckled, "He's a strong one." She replied, "Thank you, Carla." she touched her daughter's cheek, "He's building his strength back so it's good for him to walk a bit. Even if it is uphill."

Carolina led Levi down the long hallway but stopped close to the middle, where she parted two mahogany, French-style double doors, and stood aside for Levi to shuffle forwards into the room. The bathtub was in the middle of the room, in it's own shallow slope with a drain directly under it, made of white porcelain, and filled to the brim with clear, steaming water. Levi's eyes widened and his lips curved upwards at the sight, he had always wondered what it would be like to have a warm bath. His baths at home often involved a rough scrubbing brush that resembled the bottom half of a broom and the outdoor water pump. If he was lucky, he was allowed to use an old laundry bucket on the floor of the kitchen in the winter time, and the water was still freezing then.

Besides the tub, there was large windows covered with thin yellow curtains, allowing both privacy and sunlight. There was a large full-body mirror in one corner of the room, and a stack of fluffy towels folded and waiting on a small chair in the opposite corner. The tub - which resembled a shallow pool - and the room were quite large, and he looked around it in wonder.

Carolina's smile faltered as she observed his quirky behaviour, before she gave her head a small shake and came forwards to place a hand on his shoulder and guide him forwards.

"Come on now, my dear. Let's get you all cleaned up."

She took him to stand beside the tub, which he could sit on as she took away his crutches.

"How's your foot?" she asked him, slowly getting to her knees in front of him.

Levi shook his head at her action and took hold of her hand. He didn't want her kneeling for him. "I can undress." he quickly explained, "Please don't kneel on my account."

The old woman smile and straightened up. "I can leave if you're shy." she sweetly replied.

"N-no." Levi blushed, "I don't mind. I just...would rather you not have to kneel."

"Oh, bless you, dear Prince." Carolina smiled. "I know I'm aged, but I'm not fragile."

Levi looked away, his cheeks red. He pulled at the tie on his collar and let the nightshirt loosen around him. Then he pulled it off over his head and handed it to Carolina. "Regardless, I'd feel terrible." he confessed.

"I'm surprised indeed." Carolina teased, "We were told the Sina Royals were rather impolite."

Levi chuckled, unable to control himself. He could agree: Len and Lana were impolite, self-centered brats. It wasn't the first time that he caught himself thinking he was glad they hadn't survived the accident, but he kept that to himself. He didn't want to be accused of murder, having been the only one to survive.

He shook his head, refusing Carolina's hand offered to him to assist him into the tub. Instead, he turned to face the tub, then grasped the edges and lifted himself up to sit on the lip of the tub. It made him dizzy to use so much of his own strength, but he refused to close his eyes and as sudden as the dizziness came on it faded away. Slowly, with controlled movements, he lowered himself into the tub, sighing at the warmth that immediately enveloped him.

"Mind your head, I have to take off the bandages so you can wash your hair now. How's your foot?" Carolina asked him again. She was amused with his reactions and responses, and was beginning to find herself watching him with the same level of curious fondness she would watch her grandson - Eren - with, alway eager to see how they uniquely approached the situation compared to the status quo. She had moved to the corner with the chair in it, seating herself a ways away from him to give him some level of privacy.

Levi didn't mind that Carolina had moved to sit in the corner of the bathroom. It wasn't very long ago that he would sit in the corner of Len's bathroom and serve him as he bathed. It was an indescribable feeling to go from the one in the corner chair to the one seated and doted on in the tub. While he did appreciate the experience of the tub, he felt guilty for being served as royalty when he wasn't. But if he didn't play the part now, things would become very messy. At the very least he wanted to have some clothing on before confessing his identity, particularly trousers.

"Much better, Miss Carolina." he replied, "The pain used to be quite strong, like having a big splinter. Now it is much duller, but it still hurts to walk on."

"Oh?" Carolina chuckled, "Well, then it is getting better. Best to take it easy. I assumed you had a few too many splinters before?" she teased.

"Many. From working with the horses. The stables were terrible for them."

Carolina smiled at this information. She had discovered over the days that when given the chance, Prince Levi was quite the chatterbox. If she said only a few choice words, the boy would readily speak some more. "You liked the horses?"

"I _loved_ the horses." Levi replied. He began to gently splash the warm water onto his shoulders and face. "Len and me would race all the time. But I knew more about them than he did. I fed them, brushed them. I had the blacksmith show me how to properly shoe them too."

Carolina was impressed. The prince was no doubt a sponge for knowledge. A lover of animals, a kind-hearted, polite boy. This was nothing like the prince that was described by fellow nobility. Carolina just knew something was off: perhaps the boy was just ill-reputed or scared by a near-death accident, or perhaps even freed from the shadow of his sister's demands? Whatever the case, Carolina wished that Prince Levi would stay in the Rose Kingdom, regardless the circumstance. She had grown used to his company in such a short period of time. But she knew it was unlikely; he would have to return to Sina Kingdom, as that was his home.

"Which horse was your favorite?" she asked.

"A chestnut horse with a black mane. Her name was Eros. She wasn't the fastest, but we bonded really well. She would come to me if she heard me whistle."

Carolina nodded. She decided to see what information she could pry from him about the royal family. "What about your father, did he like the horses?"

"King Zackly is a slob." Levi stated, rolling his eyes. He heard Carolina choke on a laugh in the corner and continued. "It's not polite to say, I know, but he really is. He's not a just leader, and he's behaves stupidly. Rather than do the right thing, he tries too hard to appease his wife and allows her to make all the decisions. The queen always chooses what's best for herself in the immediate moment, with no regard for what consequences that would have. Lana takes after her, so I wouldn't be surprised if she came here trying to get her own way: the same self-centered, narcissistic, greedy path of destruction. They say they rule for the people of the kingdom. The truth is they rule for themselves, staying hidden behind their castle walls, they care _nothing_ for the lives of the people." He glared at his bathwater as he spoke, his voice tinged with malice.

He realized it was the first time he could openly say his opinion about the Sina Royals without being executed for treason. His eyes wavered as he stared at the water and his lower lip began to quiver. He exhaled shakily, causing small ripples on the surface of the water from one end of the tub to the other, and he breathed in deeply, as if a huge weight had just been released from his shoulders.

Carolina's mouth was open in shock. She rose from where she sat, with the folded fluffy towels off to one side, and came to wrap an arm around Prince Levi's shoulders. "There now," she cooed, "You have some strong feelings on government, young man."

Levi gave a weak chuckle. "All system corrupt eventually, Miss Carolina." he replied, "No matter how you try to break it down, there's a hierarchy somewhere. Sometimes all people desire is freedom."

It was Carolina's turn to laugh weakly. "How is it that you are so young and know so much already?" she asked hypothetically, brushing a clump of wet hair out of Levi's face. Despite absorbing the water from the bath, the inches closest to his shoulders felt brittle, and handfuls of strands snapped off in her hands. "Your hair...it's burnt!"

Levi smirked, as if he wasn't sure he could care about the burnt hair. He hadn't seen much of his hair recently since it was held back with some of the bandaging. "I suppose I should cut it then."

"How short would you want it?" Carolina asked him.

Levi thought about the length for a moment: he wanted something that allowed him to keep the comfort his hair in his face, but was also easy to maintain, healthy, and clean. Ultimately, he wanted a style that would keep him apart from other boys, especially the boys – like Levi – that had to wear all their hair long because they couldn't afford the maintenance of shaving it every week. "Well," he squirmed, once more conflicted with telling Carolina that he was not really royalty. "I think I'll shave the bottom right off."

Carolina smiled. "You just sit back there, dear. Lean back against the tub, and I'll trim your hair for you."

Levi couldn't keep the smile off his face. His eyes narrowed to hide his emotions. Carolina was motherly, and it made it hard for him to oppose her. At the same time, Levi knew deep down that he was taking advantage of them. It was cruel, but he figured it would be the only time in his life he could experience what it felt like to be on the other side of line, how it felt to be the one served and not be the servant. After being a servant for so long, he wanted to know what it was like to be served - even just once - before he would have to return to earning his own living.

He lean back in the tub and closed his eyes, letting the lukewarm water surround him and resigned himself to his environment. His foot throbbed gently, adding to the natural rhythm in his head. Despite his situation, Levi felt calm. In his defense, he hadn't agreed to being called prince, he only accepted being treated as one. And he had intention to tell them that he wasn't the Sina Prince...just as soon as he had finished his bath. He'd prefer to tell the guard that found him that there had been a mistake made, but he wasn't sure he would encounter him again. He hadn't had the opportunity to meet him again - at least when he was conscious.

Carolina headed to a small set of drawers on a side-table, next to the chair, and returned with a comb, a cut-throat razor, a pair of scissors, three butterfly clips, and a small towel. She brushed through Levi's long wet hair, snapping the burnt, brittle strands off the healthy, un-singed hair, then began to comb it into sections. She parted them and clipped them out of her way with the butterfly clips.

"I'll give you the style most royal _men_ have." She began, "Not that _boyish_ hairstyle they kept you with."

Levi smiled. He wanted to tell her that since he was over the age of fourteen he could have cut it himself anytime he wanted, but then he would have to explain that he wasn't allowed to 'mock royalty,' as Lana had told him once. Instead, he stayed silent, enjoying the gently tugging at the back of his head, listening to the sharp blades of the scissors slice away his long black locks. Afterwards, she shaved the bottom half of his hair with the cut throat razor, and unclipped the longer strands from where she had them piled on his head. Once done, she smoothed his hair into a side-parted comb over that reached the nape of his neck, then handed him a mirror.

"It feels much lighter." Levi commented. "Thank you."

Carolina smiled, "You're welcome."

She placed the mirror on the small silver tray with the rest of the tools she had brought over and took them back to the small table. The bathwater was lukewarm now, and she decided it was time to get Levi out of the bath.

"I'm just going to get you some new clothes." She informed him, before kindly stepping out.

Levi watched her leave, his eyes full of kindness but void of thought. After she had pulled the double-doors shut behind herself, he rose to his feet with some difficulty, and swung his legs over the side of the tub. Wincing, without his crutches nearby, he managed to limp over to the side-table, stepping only on the toes of his right foot. He sighed heavily when he came to stand in front of the small side-table, where he stared at himself in the reflection of the mirror.

His skin was pale and cracked in dry spots despite the bath, which he assumed was due to the fire. The texture of his exposed hair was also dry, with a brittle quality to it that was no doubt because of the fire as well, and only the top few inches from the root onwards seemed to have his jet black quality. He scowled at his reflection, then looked at the various blades lying before him. He took the scissors in one hand, then parted his hair down the middle of his head and began to slice off the bottom length of his dark hair.

When Carolina had returned, Levi had cropped the rest of his hair to reach just above his ears. He angled the cut, styling it so that it could continue to hang in his face, but remain a clean, well-groomed style that wasn't tinged with the essence of the fire. Carolina gasped in shock, watching him comb through his hair and wipe off the strands of hair that clung to his shoulders.

She came up behind him and took the towel, wiping between his shoulder blades and making sure he was clean. It was the first time she had seen a noble taking care of themselves, the first time she had seen one find a means to do something themselves. Even their own prince was rather reliant, prefering to request rather than act when it came to matters of appearance. She said nothing as she had no words to express her surprise.

"How long do I stay at Rose Castle?" Levi asked her again. Apparently she hadn't heard him say it the first time.

"Oh, my dear." she breathed, hanging him a clean shirt and pants. He began to dress himself with some difficulty so she held out a hand to help him keep his balance. "Until you're all healed. The boy Judd has been sent back to Sina Kingdom to inform King Zackly and his queen of what has happened, I expect they will arrive sometime next week."

Levi's face paled. Carolina caressed his cheek once again. Something struck her as off, this was not at all how a boy would react to seeing his parents again. "Do you not want to return to Sina Kingdom?" She asked, concern in her voice.

Levi was startled by this information: if King Zackly were to arrive, they would be able to call out Levi's lie. Or more than likely accuse Levi of murdering their children in the accident. Whichever way, they would no doubt take him back to Sina Kingdom, then throw him on the road – if he were lucky. Regardless of the outcome of that accident, for a servant to live when the royals had die was seen as treason, and he would most likely be given a royal execution. But at Carolina's concern, Levi's eyes narrowed and he found himself using his false identity to hide his fear.

"I believe that was out of line, Miss Carolina."

Carolina inhaled sharply, surprised by how much authority the slender boy had when he wanted to. Perhaps this was the Prince-side of him that he had kept hidden from her over the last few days?

"My apologies, your highness." She humbly corrected herself, "That was bold of me to say. But I won't lie to you: you have the authority of a natural-born leader."

Levi felt his head tip up at her words, a tingle of pride ran through his body. He was nothing but a common boy, found on the brink of death and spared from starvation. There was nothing leader-like about him. He only possessed a drive for survival and the skills he gained to live. It was comforting to hear he was worth something more than a servant, even if it was under a false identity.

"Thank you, Miss Carolina." He mumbled, humble once more.

She helped him sit so that she could lace up his left boot; his right foot would just have to go without a shoe until the bandages were no longer needed. The boots were made of grey leather, his trousers were dyed black. He had on a crisp, white button-up shirt, a white fitted vest, and a fluffy black cravat at his throat. The cravat had thin, black chains sewn to the fabric, adorning his chest with sparkles whenever they caught the light. Lastly she helped place a royal blue coat around his shoulders, with silver buttons and a black-trimmed collar.

"Why, you clean up like a pretty penny, don't you?" she praised, brushing her aged fingers through his silky hair. "Really, I should dress you in black and white for mourning, but I can't help but add that splash of colour to celebrate your life. You look much more fitting for a young man now." she explained.

Levi smiled. The clothing was well-made and comfortable. He was given black to wear – he had never worn black before, as the dye was deemed expensive – but it thrilled him to finally see himself in it. Carolina was right, for once his appearance matched his age.

Carolina handed him a single crutch, having added a black bow to the fork where it parted from the base leg to create the rung for him to lean on. Levi thought the whole thing was comical and unnecessary, but he knew how royalty viewed it as more of a requirement than pointless extra lavishness.

"Come on now, I'll take you to lunch." She informed him.

Levi nodded. Up until this point he wasn't sure what exactly was going to happen, but he knew he couldn't hide in the medical ward for much longer. Eventually he would have to meet the soldier that saved him and the royal Rose family. He only hoped he could have told Carolina the truth before all of this began to spiral out of control: if he were to tell them now, he wasn't sure how any of them would take it. Given the amount of time it would take for the Sina Royalty to arrive, he figured he would have to modify his plans and instead slip out before their arrival to Rose Kingdom. It was the only chance he had of escaping with what little life he had left, and it was better than being called out on his deceit, then trialed for treason, if not murder. He shrugged off the guilt he felt whenever he thought about it: he only stayed a servant for Lana and Len because he was being provided for. The most important thing to him in this life was survival, and with nobility, survival was only possible if you played along with their ridiculous, scripted games.

Carolina led Levi to stairs, where he leaned heavily on the banister to aid his descent. He was tired just from the effort of having to hop down the stairs to avoid putting too much weight on his foot. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, leaning on his crutch to catch his breath. Carolina only smiled, and once he straightened up and waved them onwards to continue, she led him through the main floor of the castle.

Levi broke their silence. "Rose Castle is enormous!" he spoke in awe, pausing to glance around the grand entrance hall once more.

Carolina laughed. "This is just the front. There's also the north-east and north-west wings, and then there are the towers at the back that border the castle gardens. The mountains to the north are actually not so far back, but we do have a lengthy backyard – so to speak. And then there's also the shipyard and docks."

Levi's eyes widened. "A dock?" he asked in surprise, and once more offered up more information than was asked of him. "Sina Castle had a royal section of the city port, but not our own harbour."

Carolina laughed at Levi's reaction again. "Yes, a private harbour." she replied. "Rose Kingdom enjoys to be indulgent." she smirked.

"That's quite impressive." he replied.

They moved forwards, Levi falling silent as speaking caused him to be short of breath, and they headed out to the back gardens. He paused in the doorway and looked out past the sheltered patio, to the vast array of flowers, bushes, and fountains that made up the backyard. She swore she heard Levi murmur under his breath the words "Not bad."

"You'll be enjoying lunch with Prince Erwin," she informed him, leading him to a small table set in the garden, under a small canopy. "He's very excited to meet you."

Levi's eyes widened, but he forced himself to smile. "What an honour!" he exclaimed, hoping his voice didn't betray his panic, and he hoped it was passed of believable excitement. "Likewise!"

Carolina smiled sweetly at him, but wasn't convinced by his performance. Rather than confront him, she smiled and play along, pulling out his chair and seating him at the table. She bit her lower lip, trying to decide on how best to pry him for his opinion of Prince Erwin, when the blonde prince appeared over the horizon. He appeared to be laughing at something one of the guards had said, and when he took sight of her he reached a hand up and waved.

"Carolina!" he called in a smooth, tenor voice. "Good to see you again finally!"

Carolina raised a hand in reply and chuckled lowly, but didn't call out to him.

"Speaking of," she turned to face Levi, "That's Prince Erwin there. He must be on his way. He enjoys to hang around with the guards and patrol the walls. Most days he enjoys to check out the port. Spends most of his time out-doors."

Levi nodded, attempting to make out his features. Even from the distance they were at, Levi could tell he was a tall man. His voice was calm and seductive, and his golden hair was light and soft. Levi felt his mouth dry and licked his lips, Erwin was undeniably handsome and he immediately wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

Startled by his thoughts, Levi gave his head a small shake. Considering the man was previously engaged to his deceased-master-turned-sister, Levi was sure this lunch would be awkward enough without him becoming as infatuated with Prince Erwin as Lana had been. He looked away as the Prince made his way over, forcing himself to catch his breath and calm down his racing heart: once again, he was grateful Lana had died. He would rather not have arrived here and been forced to be supportive of her engagement to this devilishly handsome man whom he started to envision kissing himself.

Erwin arrived and Levi attempted to rise to his feet. Instead of bowing to the Prince as he would have under his original title, he would have to firmly grasp his hand and shake it. He recalled from the time Len was learning how to give a firm handshake several key points: do not under or over grasp their hand, do not over shake their hand, and do not hold onto their hand awkwardly afterwards. As expected Erwin reached out a hand and gave Levi a winning smile, all flashy and seductive, as if they just enjoyed some private joke.

"You must be Prince Levi!" he stated easily, "I'm Erwin Smith, Prince of Rose Castle. Welcome to my home!"

Levi couldn't help but smile back at the blonde, his cheerfulness was contagious. He was grateful that Erwin seemed the easy-going type. He took his hand and shook it, maintaining eye contact as he had practice with Len many times.

"My sincerest thanks, Prince Smith."

"My, what an interesting accent! Please, call me Erwin."

Levi nodded, "Erwin." he repeated, trying to ignore the thrill that raced through him saying his name. His smile wavered at the prince's comment of an accent; he had thought the whole time that it was the Rose people that spoke oddly.

They released hands, having reached the appropriate amount of time to shake hands, and Levi internally sighed. He was beginning to feel paranoid that his royal-act wouldn't keep up to their standards, and his conscious tried to reason with him that it was because of Lana had mentioned being tested as Erwin's potential bride that kept mixing with his false-identity in his mind, giving him the anxiety that he was also being put through a test to verify he was authentically royal.

Erwin waved off Carolina and pulled out his chair at the opposite end of the small table. "Thank god they used this square one, those rectangular tables are just horrible. Having to shout at each other to even be heard, barely being able to reach your food. It's annoying!" he teased.

Levi couldn't help but chuckle; he always thought the rectangular tables were a silly idea when it was less than a large group dining together.

"At least this way we can maintain a proper conversation." He replied, smiling at the prince.

Erwin smiled too, "Exactly!" he agreed.

Their food had yet to be delivered, and Carolina had retired to sit on the patio to give them some privacy, so the two princes were left alone at the table. Levi looked over at the gardens, trying to think of something to start a conversation with. Erwin took the opportunity to check out the young prince: he was slender, and fair, with dark features that gave him a mysterious flare. Beneath his blue coat, Erwin was sure his body was fit and toned, having had the energy to survive the accident that killed his sister. He realized it was rude to simply stare, so he spoke of the first topic on his mind:

"My...condolences, on the loss of your sister."

Levi didn't move but his silver eyes met Erwin's. "Thank you." he replied coolly. Before he could stop himself, more words flowed from his mouth than he originally meant to speak, "But I'm rather relieve actually. Lana was hard for me to get along with."

Erwin's eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't something he would have expected the prince to so openly disclose to him. Having been raised as nobility, he was well-aware that most royal families had tension from person-to-person, however it was commonly something that went known-but-unsaid. "Oh. Um, yes, I'd...imagine." he murmured, unsure of how to properly reply. He wanted to be honest but he also wanted to keep his reputation clear of all ill-conceived notions towards his late-fiancee.

Levi knew his words were too harsh and he quickly apologized. "That was...uncalled for me to say." he admitted, "I shouldn't speak ill of your bride-to-be."

"Of the dead." Erwin corrected him, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes to give Levi a look of suspicion. "She's dead, Prince Levi. She's no longer my bride. And quite arguable, never was."

Levi nodded, letting the correction wash over him. Erwin seemed too calm with the fact that his bride-to-be was no longer alive. It seemed to be a mutual feeling between the two men. "I see."

The atmosphere seemed to darken between them, making Levi feel like they were suddenly more intimate than they expected to be. It was as if they had shared a deep secret in their small verbal exchange.

All too soon, their bubble was broken by the servants of Rose Castle bringing them their lunch: turbot in red-chili curry with spinach, carrots, orange slices, and wild rice, lobster with crepes, puits d'amour filled with raspberry jam, and a side of julienne soup. To drink they were served a fine red wine, made with Rose Kingdom's own finely made Royal Winery from locally harvested grapes. Levi forced himself to remain indifferent with the arrival of the food, he couldn't let Prince Erwin know that he wasn't used to be served such lavish dishes. Usually, he would be sitting where Carolina was now, watching the feast going on from a distance (or the floor if he was unfortunate enough), and wishing that they would feel pity enough on him to give him their leftovers on a plate on the floor for after-meal entertainment, (should there be any). Now, he would have to attempt to make sure he didn't make it obvious that he was foreign to the multitude of food before them.

"Thank you." Erwin mumbled, meeting the eyes of each servant that came to place a dish on the table. "Thanks. Thank you." Levi noted that he thanked every waiter at least once.

 _'Polite,'_ he thought to himself, _'or compassionate.'_

Erwin smiled at Levi, breaking his thoughts and stunning him temporarily. Levi gave his head a small shake and followed Erwin's actions: when he picked up his fork, so did Levi. He would just have to trust that copying Erwin wouldn't seem out of the ordinary and would be enough to get him through their meal. They began eating the turbot-curry dish first, waiting until the servants had all reached a safe distance from them to continue speaking.

"Since you said something so bold, I hope you would excuse me for returning the confidence when admitting I am quite relieved with the fact that your sister is no longer my proposed fiancée." Erwin confessed.

Levi's eyes widened and he paused in lifting his fork to his mouth. "I-I do excuse you, but I am...confused as to the reason why?" Between wondering if his responses sounded over-exaggerated for nobility and being stricken by how seductive Erwin could be even when he was admitting to something so politically incorrect, Levi was curious as to why Erwin was relieved. Did he perhaps have a lover that he wished to marry? Did he even want to marry? Lana's question of Levi's own marriage turned over in Levi's mind; did he himself want to get married?

Erwin's voice cut through his thoughts again. "I won't burden you with the details of politics, Levi, but I would want my marriage to be one that I would look forwards for something more _meaningful_ than political necessity."

Levi nodded and quickly took a bite of food to keep from having to talk so soon. Erwin took it as a sign to continue,

"It's not that I wasn't ready to be married, or that I don't find the marriage as a way to unite our Kingdoms. I just felt, personally, that if something _other_ could have been done to unite the kingdoms, it should have been tried. If it was the only option left, then maybe I wouldn't have felt as if I was marrying a total stranger just for the sake of my people. It is _my_ life, after all. And I feel like I would be living it out solely for the people's sake. Wouldn't you agree?"

Levi's eyes narrowed and he placed his fork down. The nobility always felt it was their right to live their lives exactly the way they wanted, without thought to how the underclass felt.

"A lot of people, _your_ _people_ , live like that." he remarked, "That's our duty as royalty, no? To set examples and represent our people? Many of them marry total strangers just as a means to bring in enough income to survive. I'm sure no father wants to sell off his daughter for the price of the next fortnight's dinner, but it happens. At least a marriage between Kingdoms does more than bring bread to the table."

Erwin's eyes widened and the smile fell from his lips. He also placed down his fork. "You're correct: we are a representation of our people."

Levi broke eye contact and picked up his fork again. He began to eat the lobster, tearing small pieces of crepe with the prongs of his fork before eating it. Erwin watched him with interest, a look of respect in his seablue eyes.

"And you speak about it so passionately." he murmured, almost as if he were speaking to himself.

Levi shrugged, "I...have reason to empathize with the people." he stated, trying to keep the subject from directly turning to him.

Erwin nodded, seeming to understand. He took a different approach instead, "Is it because of Lady Lana?" He maintained his gaze on Levi for several seconds, before following his example and switching to eating lobster.

Levi smirked, surprised by the turn of the conversation and of authority. He embraced this change with ease, glad to have made Prince Erwin subservient to him. "I suppose you could say that. Perhaps you would enjoy to learn that my _sister_ was quite the narcissist. Things were quite oppressive around her, which only fueled my friendship with our servant."

Erwin nodded in understanding. Levi expected him to pry more, but he simply replied, "I heard you like horses."

He smiled in response, holding back a laugh. Vaguely he wondered where Erwin had heard such talk from, and acknowledged Carolina as the only source. "Very much so. Maybe because Lana would never come to the stables? But animals in general, I think. I believe everything has a right to live and enjoy the earth as much as we do."

Erwin's lips twisted up in a genuine smile. "I do too." he softly replied.

They fell silent as they continued eating, before they moved onto their next course, the puit d'amour. Erwin made no attempt at conversation, so Levi felt he had left the dominance to him. He decided to spark their conversation again, but instead steer them to a safer topic than the heavy politics they seemed to be trudging in.

"You said I hand an interesting accent." he started, "Do you have another language?"

Erwin's look of surprise amused Levi and he took the opportunity to eat while the blonde prince fumbled for an answer; clearly he was taken off-guard by the smaller man's question. "No...not that I think would be anything official. I speak five languages myself, as any nobility would, I assume. But Rose Kingdom doesn't have any official languages that are different than the common tongue spoke in the tri-Kingdoms. I mean, we do but it's very old and really just reduced to tradition. It's nothing you would probably hear us speak here now."

Levi nodded, having already known this information about the tri-kingdom's common tongue. His eyebrows knit together and he frowned at the answer regardless, "Then how come my words sound funny to you?" He asked. "I admit, I thought this whole time the people of Rose were the ones talking oddly."

Erwin chuckled at Levi's confession. "No, we all speak the same." he laughed, "But I think we all twisted the common tongue so that we pronounce differently regardless. Perhaps its because of the languages that we mostly translate between - with Rose kingdom dealing with the island-folks across the seas and Sina kingdom making deals with...wherever you mostly deal with."

Levi nodded, finding the prince's answer rational. "That makes sense to me." he agreed. He realised that the topic of languages was quickly exhausted, as well as challenging for him to maintain his cover as a noble. He hurried to push the topic further so that the discussion of anything political was kept unopened.

"What are the traditions of Rose Kingdom then?" he asked, pausing in his meal to look up at Erwin. "Lana told me that your mother would choose her dress, and Miss Carolina informed me that Rose is a city of indulgence."

"Indulgence?" Erwin repeated with a chuckle, "I'm sure we are. Being so close to the mountains, the sea, and the fields, it's a small paradise that gets many fine staple products; gems, and fish, and lumber, and fruits. I suppose we are a little _showy_ in regards to having so many fine resources on our doorstep."

Levi laughed at Erwin's attempt at modesty, then blushed as he spoke his name again. "You, _prince Erwin_ , are a fine show-off indeed."

Erwin's eyes twinkled with amusement. "I'll admit it, I am. But Rose isn't that far in tradition from other Kingdoms. We only set in place some key social expectations to preserve our unique culture."

Levi smirked. "What's the reason behind the dress then?"

"Modesty." Erwin replied with amusement, "My mother doesn't want my bride-to-be to wear something scandalous, which we admittedly feared from your sister. And arguably any brides that would try to seduce their way to the throne. I mean, the bride does get some choice. It's just going to have to fit...our choice too."

Levi laughed in amusement. "Alright, I can agree to that. What other traditions do you have?"

"Do you mean culturally or socially?"

"I mean whatever you mean."

The atmosphere between them once more seemed to burn with an energy unknown to them, a reaction to their magnetic attraction towards each other. Unconsciously the pair had even begun to lean across the table towards the other, intently wrapped up in their own conversation.

"Socially, just few as I mentioned to keep the nobility modest. We don't want to turn into a society where the rich get richer and the poor have nothing but us to live for. We're the example, as you've said. But culturally, we're diligent workers. We have festivals to celebrate the changing of the seasons, superstitions that follow the calendar-year, and of course we love to be indulgent with the things the earth blessed us with."

Levi smirked, amused with how religious it sounded. "So you worship the earth and all its offerings?" he teased.

"Almost. In a way. There are many religions but Rose Kingdom believes in individuality. Just like the mountains are to the north and the sea is to the west. Some Kingdoms oppress the diversity of their citizens, we choose to celebrate ours."

"I can see the political turmoil." Levi murmured, pushing his plate away. "Sina thrives by exploiting its people and maintaining tight control over them. Some days of the month even call for a strict diet pertaining to social class."

Erwin nodded in understanding. They had come full circle, and yet he wanted to hear so much more about the young Prince's Kingdom and his life within it. Yet he found that Levi seemed to withdraw from the topic. "How are your injuries?" he asked instead, "I'd like to go sailing tomorrow and would be more than grateful if you were to join me."

Levi opened his mouth to reply when Erwin dropped the invitation on him. "Oh. Yes, I would enjoy that very much." He thought to tell Erwin he had never been on a ship before, but he wasn't sure if that was something he should admit. In his defense, Len had never been on one either, but it didn't sound right to have never been on the water; it wouldn't sound believable. "I am still sore, but I am feeling better than before." he answered in honesty.

"I'm glad to hear that." Erwin replied, "I was worried that your concussion would become life-threatening. We have no way of telling if you were internally bleeding inside your skull. Since there was no great swelling we refrained from bleeding you by the scalp; it would just injure you more if it was unnecessary."

Levi bit his lower lip, unsure of how much Erwin had been told about his condition or the causes of death for the others. And now he was worried that the prince had been to see him when he was asleep in the medical ward. He worried how many others in the castle had come to check in on him as he rested. "I-" he paused, trying to find a logical explanation as to how he even survived, let alone heal remarkably well, without arousing suspicion. "I think it was the way I collapsed that saved my life. I had managed to get my upper body out of the carriage so besides not having to suffocate on smoke, I probably had my head elevated."

"That makes a lot of sense." Erwin replied, touching his chin thoughtfully. "Your blood wouldn't be able to pool in your head and cause you any swelling because you were kept in a position that was more vertical than them."

Levi nodded. Speaking of his injuries was making him focus on the dull throbbing in his head. He placed a hand to his forehead and Erwin came around to help him to his feet.

"Are you tired, Prince Levi? I could escort you to bed."

Levi nodded. In the distance he could see Carolina rise and begin to approach them. Erwin placed a hand in between his shoulder blades and took hold of his right hand in the other. Levi felt a spark of energy travel through him from where they skin touched.

"Perhaps you can help me walk around a bit instead?" he asked. The words had left his lips without his brain processing them. All he knew was in this moment he didn't want to have to part from the Prince just yet. "The air might be of some help, rather than returning to the castle."

Erwin turned to wave at Carolina, then handed Levi his crutch. "Yes, of course. Perhaps moving around some would help your head. I always find it soothing to walk when I'm sick or injured, cycles the blood more."

He wrapped an arm around Levi's shoulders and turned them around and began to guide him towards the gardens. They moved slowly with Levi setting their pace with his crutch, and pausing every so often to exchange words on how beautiful the scenery was or how their Kingdoms differed. Despite the various benches and ledges they passed, they never stopped to rest, choosing to stand side-by-side with the blonde's arm around the shorter man. The sun had just begun to sink after they circled the gardens twice, turning the sky a bright golden colour. A soft breeze blew in from the harbour, gently kissing their skin with the scent of the sea.

Levi sighed in happiness. "Castle Sina is located inland – as the center of Sina Kingdom is – so we never get to feel the breeze or smell the salt." He explained. "It never climbs over the tall wall around the grounds."

Erwin wrinkled his nose in distaste and then smirked proudly, "That doesn't sound very pleasant."

Levi laughed, "The more I tell you about Sina, the more happy you appear to not marry into it."

Erwin gave Levi a devilish grin, "Married or not, I'm just glad I wouldn't have to rule it."

Levi nodded, falling into silence. If he said anything, it would turn the conversation back to him and his connection to Sina Kingdom.

Erwin leaned against an ornately carved garden pillar, designed to help the climbing vegetation while also appearing an elegant art piece. He crossed his arms across his chest. "If you dislike Sina Kingdom so much, how do _you_ plan on ruling it?"

Levi looked at the ground. Erwin had taken the initiative to bring it up himself to keep their conversations continuously returning to Levi in relation to Sina Kingdom. Being so directly asked, he wondered if a false answer would satisfy the prince, but something told him otherwise.

"I-" he began.

"Don't tell me you plan on running away from your responsibilities." Erwin cut him off, sounding mockingly rebuking, returning to points that Levi had made over their lunch. "The Prince Levi, the prince of his people, just walking away? Especially since there are no other heirs left. And you - the sole representation of your people's legacy."

"No, I- I wasn't thinking of that exactly." Levi replied, surprised that his anger with being accused of deserting his entire life was so controlled. And because he had come to respect Erwin, and maybe even trust him, he found himself desiring to explain just enough for him to understand. "It's just...complicated, Prince Erwin."

"Tell me how. Maybe I can help you?"

Levi smirked but inside he felt like sinking into the ground. The lies he told the last few days were beginning to catch up with him; once again he felt like it was a mistake to allow this image of himself to get so out of control. But at this point, confessing to the prince would more than likely result in misunderstanding and charges. This realization caused him to lose his voice and stop his explanation.

Erwin moved away from the pillar and wrapped an arm around Levi's shoulders, pulling him close to his own body.

Levi shook his head. "Maybe tomorrow." he found himself saying, "I...should probably rest."

Erwin nodded, taking Levi's rejection as playing coy. He had dropped several hints to Levi already about a secret of his own, although he wasn't entirely sure if he had understood them. He was sure, however, that the Prince of Sina was hiding a secret himself. Their interactions had been quite intimate all afternoon, and now that it was evening, Erwin was sure he felt a connection between them that he hadn't experience with others before. Although he wanted to trust Levi, he didn't want to rush them, and so he exhaled heavily and made the decision to let him retire and hope that they would grow closer tomorrow.

"Right." He agreed with Levi, "I'll walk you back to your room then. Tomorrow we'll go sailing, so you will need some energy for that."

Levi smiled, relieved that Erwin had let the topic of Sina die. "I look forward to that." He replied.

They fell into a silence that both wanted to fill but made no effort to. As they re-entered the castle, Carolina followed behind them, having been sitting with her daughter and watching them from afar. The women had had their own conversation regarding the two Princes, observing how they interacted and speaking about the oddities of the Sina Prince. He was nothing like they had been described him to be and try as Carla did, they couldn't locate the letters sent with the information on the family.

"It's his first day back up and about." Carla had reasoned, "Perhaps he's just seeing things in a different light, afraid because he's alone in a new Kingdom and he knows he might not get his way here."

Carolina nodded as she listened to her daughter. But both women continued to feel that it was not the case.


	5. Chapter 5

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 5: March, 16th - Morning:

Erwin hadn't allowed Levi to return to the medical ward the night before. Instead, he had carried him up the stairs of the north-east wing and taken him to a guest-room that was originally fully prepared for the Royal Prince's visit. The room had white double-doors that opened to a large circular room. In the center was a large circular bed, with sheets of silk and lavish fluffy pillows. The north and south walls had large windows, without glass, that covered by a large wooden shutter that would slide away into the wall when the windows were open. There was a comfortable looking armchair off to the side of the door, a full-length mirror, and a large wardrobe that held several new outfits for the Prince to wear. Levi stuttered out a grateful 'thank you.' He was so overwhelmed to have the privacy of his own room for the first time in his life that he excused Prince Erwin from a scolding for carrying him up the stairs earlier.

The blonde chuckled in amusement, then ran his fingers through Levi's cropped black hair. He smiled sweetly, then bid him rest well, and turned and left the room.

Levi went to bed early and without dinner. As soon as Erwin had left, he had collapsed on top of the bed and lay there for an hour. His heart had begun to hammer in his chest when Erwin had reached out to touch his hair, and he was surprised with his reaction. _'Stupid, just stupid,'_ he lectured himself, _'you're turning into Lana.'_

But he couldn't deny that the Prince was indeed handsome, sweet, and charming. He was also other things that Levi could respect him for: intelligent, insightful, and understanding. Levi wouldn't go so far as to say he was compassionate, but he was aware of his duty to his people. When he was done catching his breath after his eventful afternoon with the Prince, he decided to pull himself back into reality: by morning Judd would have reached Sina Kingdom. That meant that the Sina Royals would be made aware of the ambush and would be on their way. It would take them five days to arrive, meaning he had only four days to figure out what he was going to do. Every time he tried to establish a plan to escape before they arrived, he could hear Prince Erwin's words in his head from earlier: 'Don't tell me you plan on running away from your responsibilities?'

Levi scoffed, what would Prince Erwin know about his responsibilities? He didn't even know who he really was! Levi sat up and undressed, changing into his nightshirt with some difficulty because of his foot, before slipping into bed. He pulled the sheets down, then climbed into bed, hurrying at this point to get under the covers before Carolina or another servant entered and attempting to persuade him to join the royal family for dinner. He lay down on the soft, warm mattress, then pulled the sheets over his body and turned on his side, before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

He awoke early the next morning, slowly reverting back to his daily sleep schedule before the ambush. He rose and headed to the north window, pulling back the wooden shutter that had been shut at night. It rolled back on its track with a small groan and allowed bright morning sunlight to pool into the room. Levi sighed and tilted his face upwards, allowing the sun to kiss his cheeks.

A knock on the bedroom door informed him that someone was entering, and he turned to greet Carolina.

"Morning, Miss Carolina." He greeted her, flashing her a smile.

She smiled in return, taken aback by his optimism. "Good morning, dear Prince Levi. Had a good sleep, did we?" she teased.

"And a good day with a good friend." Levi admitted, "Prince Erwin is admirable." He hoped his words came out as friendly and professional.

Carolina motioned for Levi to take a seat on the bed. She pulled up the chair as she spoke, "Oh, I hoped you two would get along. God knows you need the friends. From what you told me about Sina, you don't seem to have many of them there, and our own Prince has always been...a little...withdrawn." She turned again and this time brought a small tray over from the side-table, where she had placed it upon entering. "Come now, dear. We need to change the dressings on your foot. Perhaps you would be able to wear both boots today. I heard the Prince saying he was going sailing with you today, my! How exciting!"

Levi couldn't help but smile. It was hard to keep so composed when he thought about the freedom he had in the moment: freedom to be with who he wanted, where he wanted, how he wanted. It was endless. "Yes," he agreed, "I can't wait! I've never been on the sea before." he confessed.

"That must be because of the geography of Sina." Carolina replied, as if it wasn't something be ashamed of. "Prince Erwin practically grew up on the sea. He loves boats the way you love horses, oddly enough."

"Does he have a horse?" Levi asked, suddenly concerned.

"Oh yes. He has quite a few as his own. You should ask him about them, I'm surprised he hasn't offered you to see them."

Levi nodded, falling silent as he watched Carolina unwrap the bandage from around his foot. "How is it, Miss Carolina?" he asked.

She tsked and prodded it with her fingertips, provoking a small whimper from Levi. She chuckled, then began to wash around the wound with some clean water. "It's nowhere near being fully healed." she informed him, "But it is healing up quite well. There's a lot more skin back on your foot now, but I think you'll need those crutches for a few more days."

Levi sighed heavily. He hoped it was only for a few more days, otherwise he would have to rethink his plan. He only had five more days to figure out where he would go and what he would do. He would have to create a new identity that the royal families wouldn't know of; he was sure the Sina royals would put out a bounty for his arrest. But after meeting Prince Erwin posing as a prince himself, Levi knew it wouldn't end well for himself if he were to wait around Rose Kingdom for the Sina Royals to arrive.

"Don't worry, your highness," Carolina hugged him, "You should be walking around again by the time your parents arrive here."

Levi was surprised by her reassurance. It was almost as if she had read his mind. He gave his head a small shake and smiled at her, attempting to convince her that she had reassured him. "I'm glad."

She wrapped his foot up in silence, then placed a stocking over it. "Let's get you dressed now." She offered, helping him keep his balance while he put on his clothing. Afterwards she helped him into his boots and jacket again, keeping him in the same blue jacket. "No use in dirtying a new jacket with the spray of the sea, my boy." she told him.

Levi laughed, amused by this fact. "Sina royalty always wear new clothing every day."

"My word!" Carolina exclaimed, "And you're not near the sea! How do you wash?"

Levi shrugged, not wanting to admit that he had to scrub their clothes several times a week for them. "The servants get overworked."

"I would think so! Don't expect to see any of the royals here in new clothes every day! Prince Erwin is probably going to be in the same outfit for today's activities as well!"

"Most sensible that way." Levi agreed.

Carolina placed her hands on her hips and gave Levi a puzzled look, amazed by his easy-going attitude and agreement on such different practices. " _How_ is it that you are so different from your family?" She asked, genuinely confused. "It's almost like you were made to live here!" she laughed.

Levi laughed with her, feeling an odd strain in his chest. It constricted his throat and made him feel like his stomach was full of birds. How badly did he wished her words were true?

"Breakfast time," she announced, breaking him front his thoughts.

He nodded and rose, finding his crutch and leaning heavily on it as he began to make his way to the door.

He was stopped just outside by two tall soldiers waiting for him. He recognized the dirty blonde bangs of the man as the one that had pulled him out of the carriage six days ago, but not the other dirty blonde.

"Prince Levi." the man greeted him in a deep tenor voice. The other soldier stood silent but bowed respectfully. "This here is Captain Flagon," the first man pointed him out, "pay no attention to him, he accompanied me to your room but he's really only in the east-wing to obtain several records from the ward."

Levi nodded and the man nodded in acknowledgement of him, before heading further down the hallway.

"Soldier." Levi replied, his lips twisting into a smile. "I remember you. I don't recall your name." he explained.

"This is Miche," Carolina replied, following Levi and placing a hand on his shoulder. "He's a captain in our army, Prince Erwin's personal guard, and one of his closest friends."

Levi nodded, "And the man who saved my life." he took Miche's hand and shook it firmly, gaining a fond smile from the soldier. "Many thanks to you, Captain Miche."

"He is as polite as you told me he is, dear Carolina." Miche spoke to her. He turned his eyes back to Levi. "I'm glad you are feeling better, your highness."

"Please, call me Levi. It's the least I could do to repay you."

Miche shared a knowing smile with Carolina; the old woman was right, the boy was respectful to those that earned it.

"Prince Erwin had sent me up to carry you down to breakfast."

Levi's eyes widened and he took a step back. "I can walk." he tried to refuse.

Miche reached out and swung Levi up and into his arms easily, crutch and all. "He says it's faster this way."

Levi was left without a means of protest. He crossed his arms across his chest and pouted. "This is most undignified and completely unnecessary."

"Have a word with Prince Erwin." Miche chuckled. "I only follow his instructions."

Levi rolled his eyes, revealing he did have a rude attitude. "Oh, I will."

Miche's eyes turned somber. "There's another reason I was invited along for breakfast." he admitted, placing Levi on his feet the moment they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"And why's that?" Levi asked, irritation in his voice as he straightened his clothes and began to follow Miche to breakfast at a slow pace.

"I need to ask you some questions regarding the raiders." he admitted, "Council is going to decide whether we should attempt to find them today or not."

"I imagine it would be a waste of time and resources." Levi replied, "The raid happened six days ago. I doubt the raiders would be anywhere in the area."

"King Smith said the same thing. Still, they want to know what they looked like, if you happened to see them. It would be rather unjust of us if we were to have not attempted anything following the death of your sister."

"I did." Levi replied, ignoring the comment about Lana. He had already thought of this when he had thought of his plans to escape. "I only saw a few of them. A tall lanky one, with dark hair and eyes that resembled a rat's. And two big fat ones, their lard was the reason we fell into the gulley."

Miche hid a smirk at Levi's words, the boy was insulting when he wanted to be.

"There is something else that I want to request of you, off the books of course." he began. He paused, catching Levi's arm and seizing the opportunity in which they had a few minutes alone. "There was something you were trying to tell me after I pulled you out of the wreck. You said 'I'm not-' something, right before you passed out. Do you remember?"

Levi nodded, his eyes widened with surprise. He wasn't sure if Miche was going to directly ask him about what it was he was going to say, or more importantly, if he should lie to the captain about it.

"I want you to forget you ever mentioned that to me. Or to _anyone_." He didn't wait for Levi to reply, rather he placed a hand in between Levi's shoulder blades and gently prompted him to continue walking. "There's no reason for you to say that to anyone now. So forget it and never mention it again."

They had arrived at the dining hall at this precise moment, so Levi was unable to question the soldier on what he had just said with the awaiting breakfast guests watching them. Erwin stood as they approached the table. They sat together, one per side to a square table, and waited for Carolina to serve them breakfast: creamed smoke haddok in puff pastry, fresh fruit, a wild berry parfait, and sweet rose tea. It was just going to be the four of them it seems, to which Levi was quite relieved. He greeted Erwin, and chose to continue their original conversation.

"I was just telling Captain Miche about the raid. Len, Lana, and I were discussing the wedding when the raiders stopped the carriage. A loud noise, a big shake. I thought perhaps we had hit a large animal at first. But then Judd didn't communicate with us. We could hear him and our driver shouting. And then the carriage was being rocked from side to side."

He took a bite of his food, pausing to eat and let them think up any questions they would want to ask of him. When there was no questions, he continued,

"I assumed we were being raided, since we were warned ahead of time that the cover the forest provided was often used by thieves. So I told Len and Lana to help me hold the door; it swings outwards you see, so it would be easier for them to force it open then us to hold it closed. The filthy, pathetic, excuses of human beings – the fat ones, there was two of them – began to attack the carriage in order to open the door. I was pulling the handle inwards when one of the pig-bastards put their pickaxe right through the wall and into my heel. I fell backwards and when I did, they both charged the carriage to open the door and the carriage tipped. We slid a bit backwards on the side of the carriage, and I suppose we lost our ground, because the next thing I knew we were being tossed about like a salad. We all hit our heads, Len broke his leg. Lana passed out sometime between falling and the carriage becoming stuck in the trees at the bottom. But I hadn't seen them up until this point because we didn't want them to see us inside. We had pulled all the curtains.

"Once we were stuck, I pulled back the curtains to see if they would have followed us down the gulley. And they did. Because they wanted to know if they could get in the carriage now. But a large tree jammed the door and the glass is fire-hardened so they couldn't break it. They didn't know about the discussion-window, and that would only be accessible from the inside."

He paused to eat and allow them to gather their thoughts. Miche nodded, having been eating an orange this entire time. "Mmh, so they lit the carriage on fire then? To remove the evidence?" he asked.

"I'm not entirely sure that they meant to. The skinny rat said to leave us for dead, but the one fat-bastard argued that he hadn't gotten anything out of the raid. They began to fight and the rat shoved the fat one into the carriage. He dropped the torch he was carrying and the flames caught the varnish paint on the wood on fire."

Miche nodded. Erwin rolled his eyes. "That varnish is outdated to still be flammable." he commented.

Levi shrugged. "That's what happened. Len passed out around that time, so I decided that I would have to get them out of the discussion window since the raiders had left us to die. But I must've passed out before I got out myself."

Erwin nodded, and Miche exhaled heavily. "Alright. I'll let the council know about your account of the story. They may want to have you at council tomorrow for cross examination."

Levi nodded, trying not to become too freaked out with having to sit in council. At home in Sina Castle, he wasn't allowed inside the courtroom when there was council, regardless of whether Len went in or not. He supposed he could ask Erwin about how the council works in Rose Kingdom, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to raise his suspicions.

Erwin reached a hand out and placed it over Levi's, receiving a confused look from the dark-haired boy. "It's alright, he just means they would want to ask you some more questions."

Levi calmed at the explanation, and he kicked himself for being too obvious in his expressions. "Of course," he agreed, then rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand."I'm just a little...a little..."

"It's alright, dear." Carolina touched his shoulder, "It's only been a week, boys. And this was such a heartfelt tragedy." she rebuked Miche and Erwin.

"I'm terribly sorry, Carolina, but I am just doing my job." Miche defended himself.

"Of course you are. But forgive the young prince for being emotional. He just lost his sister in that attack."

Levi nodded, feeling guilty at having played them with his lies.

"I have to say, your accent is most entertaining." Miche confessed, then glanced at Erwin. "Don't you agree?"

Erwin smiled mischievously, "Yes, I was just thinking so myself. I confess I thought about it around dinnertime, which I was saddened to find you absent at, Prince Levi."

Miche wiped his lips with a napkin and rose. "Anyways, thank you for the breakfast, your highness, your highness. Carolina." he bowed to each of them in turn, Prince Erwin and Prince Levi and then Carolina, and touched Erwin's shoulder, then took his leave. "Be safe on the waters, Erwin."

Prince Erwin nodded, and raised a hand, index finger pointed up in a wave, then turned his attention to Levi.

"My, what a morbid breakfast that was." he teased, attempting to lighten the mood, "How did you sleep, Prince Levi?"

Levi tried to smile at Erwin, before picking up a piece of pink fruit with his fork: it resembled a lemon. "I slept soundly." He replied, "What type of fruit is this?" he asked, before putting it in his mouth.

Erwin raised a hand as if to warn Levi not to eat it, then laughed at Levi's reaction, his eyes immediately widened as he tasted the sour fruit. "It's a grapefruit. I was going to warn you: they are quite sour."

Levi's cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment. "It's...delicious. Once you get over the initial buzz."

Erwin chuckled, "I'm glad you like it. Most eat it with sugar. I take it's not something in Sina yet?"

Levi shook his head, "No, I've never seen it."

Erwin chuckled again. "Well, I'm glad you had a good night."

"And how about yours?"

"Oh, it was alright." Erwin replied, his voice smooth and playful. "I had a good dream. I almost didn't want to wake up."

"I hope today makes up for stealing you away from sleep." Levi replied, never a man short on words.

Erwin chuckled, looking down at his empty plate. "Oh, I'm sure it will."

"I'm sorry, am I keeping you?"

"No. No, no. Miche had you answering his questions so it's understandable."

"We can go."

"No, please. Don't skip breakfast on account of me. Please, finish your meal." Erwin smiled. "Carolina, could I have another cup of coffee? Thank you."

Levi ate some more grapefruit, then finished off his main course as Erwin watched him with interest. Carolina touched Erwin's hand.

"Don't gawk at him, my Prince."

Erwin's cheeks coloured. "I'm not gawking."

"Let him eat in peace."

"I'm quiet."

"You know what I mean, never letting your eyes roam off him."

"I'm done." Levi interrupted, "It's fine."

He stood, fumbling with his crutch before stepping away from the table. Erwin rose as well, eager to get to the docks.

"We're going to sail on one of the larger vessels today, so the ship has already been prepared. The crew is down there right now."

Levi nodded, "So it's just out back?" he asked.

Erwin chuckled, "It's close by."

"Have fun, you two." Carolina smiled, raising a hand in a wave.

Levi turned to face her, "You aren't coming, Miss Carolina?" he asked.

"Oh, no thank you, dearie. I'll have your dinner ready for when you return."

Levi nodded, raising a hand in farewell, then followed along at Erwin's side. The blonde was cheerful, clearly eager to get to the dock.

"You must really love ships." Levi murmured, attempting to start a conversation.

"The sea." Erwin corrected, with a laugh. "I learned to swim before I learned to walk."

"Wow." Levi whispered, "That's something."

"I suppose. Can you swim?" Erwin asked, feeling like Levi was giving him the impression that he couldn't.

"I can." Levi smirked, "Not sure with my foot the way it is now."

Erwin looked surprised. "Where did you learn?" He immediately asked, "And of course we won't go today, it's much too cold. It's still Spring after all."

Levi shrugged, "We had access to lakes and rivers." he explained, "Just because Sina is more inland doesn't mean I can't swim."

"Sounds safer than swimming in the ocean." Erwin replied, "Less motions in a lake, easier to swim in still waters. If you swam in a river then you'd probably have a better chance adjusting to the ocean, given the currents and waves and all."

They had approached the docks and Erwin nodded, letting them stop and rest. But instead of letting them proceed, he picked Levi up and began to carry him over to a large, wooden ship with two masts and crisp white sails. Levi protested, immediately smacking his shoulder lightly.

"The dock is slippery. I just don't want you falling down." Erwin explained, his voice full of amusement.

"Just don't...fucking drop me." Levi hissed, changing tactics and holding Erwin's collar tightly.

Erwin laughed out loudly at Levi's reaction and carried him onto the vessel, up the gangway, and towards the wheel of the ship.

"Alright, here we are." he announced, placing Levi on his feet.

Levi looked around, then leaned heavily on his crutch. The rolling tide made the ship rock gently from side to side, making it hard for him to find his balance on one foot.

"Cut the ropes!" Erwin called to his crew, "Man your stations! We're pulling out to starboard!"

As he had yesterday when Levi had first seen him, Erwin took control of the situation around him. He easily commanded those under him in a way that royalty should: respectfully, dutifully, and clearly. He watched as Erwin stood behind the wheel of the ship, and then ever so slightly, began to turn the wheel to the right, taking the ship out of the harbour. When they had gone a small distance from the docks, he ordered for the main sails to be unfurled, allowing the vessel to pick up speed.

Levi shuffled forwards, taking each step with great care: he didn't want to hurt himself further by losing his balance. He came to stand at the front of the helm, leaning on the railing and looking out past the main deck and over the bowsprit towards the endless water in front of them.

Erwin watched him, smiling at him in fondness. The wind played through his dark hair, destroying his clean center part and making his hair a swept mess. He turned to look back at Erwin, peeking over at him from over his shoulder.

"Stay there." Erwin replied, "Just like that."

Levi's eyes widened in surprise, but he obeyed, not moving. His eyes followed Erwin, watching him as he called out to a man just out of Levi's vision. The man came over and listened to Erwin speak in a low voice, nodding eagerly. He disappeared again, and Levi turned back to face out to sea. A moment of silence passed as the boat sailed forwards, then Erwin called out to him gently.

"Look back at me. Just like before."

"For how long?" Levi asked, his voice muffled into his arm as he spoke.

"Not too long. Just don't look away again." Erwin smiled.

They sailed forwards, the wind gently teasing their hair and kissing their skin. After a quarter of an hour, Levi turned away, complaining about his neck. Erwin chuckled, and the man waved a hand.

"It's fine," he spoke with a thick accent, "Let his highness rest. I have enough detail to finish the piece."

Levi chuckled, watching the open water in silence for a time. He tried not to show his glee at having a portrait done of him.

"Isabel." Erwin commanded, calling a young girl with vivid red hair to his side, "Take the wheel. I want to speak to the Prince."

The girl took the wheel with ease, her green eyes bright with adventure. "Where abouts are we heading, Sire?" she asked.

"Just keep taking her 'round, Bells." Erwin replied easily, waving a hand nonchalantly. "We won't head to the inlet today."

"Aye, Sir!"

"Inlet?" Levi asked the moment Erwin leaned on the banister with him. He was glad that Erwin was close so he could talk to him again, even though he had enjoyed watching the blonde man the ship. "What's the inlet?"

"It's this cool little area where the sea meets the mountains, a little ways north of here." Erwin replied. He reached up to brush his golden hair back into place, "It's a little too cold to show you right now, sometimes the water has ice in it and that makes it hard to navigate."

"Oh." Levi replied, "I see."

"It's quite beautiful though, actually. It's almost like a frozen beach."

Levi's eyes shimmered at the thought of the inlet, sparkling with ice. "That sounds beautiful."

Erwin lost himself in the depth of Levi's silver eyes. They stared into each other's eyes for a minute, not speaking, focusing on each other.

The man from before coughed, breaking their moment, and Erwin reached out and took Levi's hand.

"C'mon, let's get off the poop deck."

"The what?" Levi asked, looking down at the deck in horror.

Erwin burst out laughing. "It's just the name. It's not literally scrubbed with shit."

Levi instantly looked relieved. "That's disgusting! Why would you call it that?"

Erwin shrugged, "I'm not sure, I didn't name it."

He lifted Levi up so that he could carry him down the steps of from the poop deck to the main deck, then set him down on his own feet. "Sorry. Just don't want you to lose your footing, being at sea and all."

Levi nodded, making an exception for the Prince to carry him and, for once, grateful for the help. They made their way across the main deck, and then back up some stairs to the forecastle deck. They stood between the foremast and port side railing, with Levi leaning against the mast.

"It's a pity you're still injured or we'd climb up the ratlines to the crow's nest." Erwin teased him. He jumped up on the port side railing, hanging off the bottom of the ratline.

Levi chuckled. "I'm sure you could carry me if you wanted to." he teased.

Erwin's lips twisted in a crooked smile and a dark light filled his clear-blue eyes. He straightened up, then jumped back onto the deck before taking a single step towards Levi. "D'you want?" he asked, his voice holding a low tone of excitement.

Levi shook his head, but his lips remained curved up in a smile. "You wouldn't dare." He began.

Erwin reached over and placed a hand on Levi's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll just go up the lines. See the view at least." he persuaded. He was kind enough to ask permission this time.

Levi bit his lower lip; the offer was tempting. "I'm not _that_ light, you know." He wasn't sure if he was attempting to convince Erwin or himself.

The blonde smirked and turned around, giving Levi the impression that he was safe. Then he bent down and pulled Levi against his back before rising again, holding him piggyback-style. "And I'm not _that_ weak, you know, Prince Levi." He stated, chuckling at Levi's speechlessness. He took Levi's crutch and leaned it against the mast. "We'll be quick." He cut off Levi's protest, "Just hold me tightly."

Levi locked his legs around Erwin's waist and held his wrists around Erwin's neck. With slow, calculated movements, the blonde began to climb the ratlines, taking it one rung at a time. The ropes swayed with the rock of the ship and push of the wind, giving them their own unique rhythm. Levi found it soothing, especially as they approached the top of the line; it almost felt like they were flying. He closed his eyes and turned his face towards the wind, letting it tease his hair and skin.

Erwin chuckled, "It's nice up here, no?"

Levi nodded, his hair tickling the tip of Erwin's ear. "It's soothing once you get used to the rocking."

"Of the ship?" Erwin asked, "Yeah. I suppose. I guess I'm used to it." he chuckled.

Levi opened his eyes, sensing that Erwin had stopped climbing and stayed in place. Erwin was holding to the ratline with both hands, hanging two rungs under the crow's nest. The sea stretched out around them, their ship so far from the mainland that the coast was unseen.

"If it was warmer, I'd just throw us into the sea from here." Erwin teased.

Levi chuckled nervously, "W-why?"

"For a swim." Erwin replied, as if it was obvious. "Probably wouldn't be good with our coats on. Too heavy."

Levi nodded, letting their surroundings steal his breath away. The ship was surrounded by the vast ocean as far as the eye could see. Bright greens highlighted the clear blue water as it blended in with the horizon, creating no real boundary between sea and sky. They rocked with the ship which rocked on the ocean, making the scenery move with them, as if they all breathed in unison.

"It's wonderful up here. So tranquil." he commented.

Erwin smiled, tightening his fingers on the ropes. He could hear the smile in Levi's words and it made his chest feel tight with happiness. The feeling of pride blossomed in himself for sharing this with Levi, and he licked his lower lip, grinning.

"Sometimes I see the sea as an escape from all of the Kingdom's duties. Other times I see the sea as a means of adventure and a bringer of duties. Most times, I find I just think better out on a ship, breathing in the clean salty air."

Levi nodded. Erwin was a different type of royalty, but he was a much more dignified one. "You always make it back home though, right?" he asked, his voice low and husky in Erwin's ear. "You've never not returned for a bit, have you?"

Erwin chuckled, "Intently, yes, if that's what you mean. I've never gotten lost or shipwrecked."

Levi nodded. "Are you afraid to?"

Erwin tried to shrug, despite Levi holding his shoulders. "Not really. If that's what happens, then we'll just have to find another way home. My crew is actually mostly made up of solid sailors, not royal garrisons that trade for a navy. We should be alright."

Levi tried to meet Erwin's eyes, which was difficult since they faced the same way. "So that girl?"

"She's Furlan's friend. I found the pair of them at the city dock, trying to steal some food for a meal. I decided it was no way to live, so I offered them a position."

"That's kind of you. Sina would cut off their hands."

"That's harsh."

"I agree."

"You intend on changing that when you become King?"

"If I become crowned, yes."

"Why is that even a question?"

"Because the King may make his brother the next heir? Or a cousin?"

"Is it because they don't like you?"

Levi had realized they had started speaking quieter until Erwin whispered and he strained to catch his words.

"I...suppose." he bit his lower lip, trying to think on his feet. He realized he was making things much harder if he ever wanted to confess his identity, which he still considered doing.

Erwin exhale a puff of air, blowing out his cheeks. "I don't see why they are so difficult. It really makes me feel better about the whole accident. I-"

But Levi never got to know what Erwin was going to say. A man with blonde hair and green eyes came to stand under them on the deck below and shouted up at them to return to deck.

"The winds are picking up, it's not safe to hang on the ratlines, your highness." The man sounded amused.

"Ah, you caught me." Erwin called, teasing the man, then lifted his shoulder to nudge Levi back into an easier position to carry him. "Let's head down, we can have lunch in the Captain's Quarters."

Levi nodded.

They slowly descended the ratlines, making their way down to ship's port-side railing, then jumped back down onto the forecastle deck. Levi retrieved his crutch once placed back on his feet.

"Thank you," he replied politely and diplomatically, trying to remain professional despite the feeling of loss running through him. Since they were no longer in a situation where he didn't need to be supported, he had no excuse to touch the prince. He mentally kicked himself; he shouldn't be allowing himself to indulge in such a pointless venture, even if it made him feel...

He frowned at himself. He shouldn't let himself feel that way. He put on a business smile. "Thank you for showing me that."

Erwin's genuine smile fell into one that shared a similar feeling of artificiality to Levi's. There was a tint of hurt in his eyes at Levi's brisk thanks that expressed Erwin's feeling of rejection, but his voice stayed strong and smooth. He chose his words with care. "You're most welcome, Prince Levi. I enjoyed sharing the moment with you."

The man that had called them down came to salute Erwin, then led the pair of princes to the main deck and then through the doors that led to a large room under the poop deck. Inside the captain's quarters, the large central table had been cleared of all maps, papers, and charts, and held a small but lavish luncheon: cock-a-leekie soup to start, chicken galantine, baked jacket potatoes, and Caesar salad for lunch, followed by a custard pudding for dessert. To share they also had a bottle of sauvignon blanc white wine. Erwin sighed at seeing the table, then came over and pulled out Levi's chair for him.

"Your leg." he murmured, as an excuse.

Levi simply met his eyes for a moment, then nodded. He wanted Erwin to know that he was capable enough of pulling out his own chair, but he knew it wouldn't be very royal of him to demand to do things himself. He let the notion go with just a look, hoping that Erwin would get the hint and perhaps ask a servant next time; he was beginning to give Levi odd social signals, and the younger man was starting to feel confused. Was Rose custom this hospitable or was the prince only going out of his way to flatter him for some reason?

Erwin walked to the other end of the long table and heaved a sigh, seating himself with a pout. Levi chuckled at his reaction: the prince was acting like a jester.

"Alright, alright." Levi laughed, immediately recognizing what Erwin was teasing him about. "You, help me out." He called to the man that was acting as their server.

The man's eyes widened and he came to Levi's side. Levi waved him off of helping him rise but pointed at the chair. "Move that, there." he motioned to the side of the table. "And you, come here." he met Erwin's eyes and pointed to the side opposite where his own chair now faced. "Better?" he asked.

Erwin's face lit up with a grin. "Much!" he replied, picking up his chair and coming to sit opposite Levi, so that they now sat at one end of the rectangular table, rather than spaced out lengthwise.

Levi sat back down and looked up at the server. "Now move all this foolish set up so we can have our plates here. Thank you. That's much nicer than barely being able to see each other."

Erwin chuckled. "Such an easy fix. I don't see why we don't dine like this more often."

Levi smiled, "Other royalty prefers otherwise. They just set it up according to custom." He accepted a glass of white wine from the server, "Thank you."

Erwin took the glass and waved the server towards the door. "We can managed, thank you."

The man nodded and bowed, then took his leave. He seemed relieved to be out of their service.

Levi laughed once in amusement. "That poor man. What's the story with him?"

"He's clumsy by nature. He was born with six digits on both hands, son of a good-for-nothing sailor. I took him in, got my doctor to remove the digits and spare him a lifetime of superstitious old maids. But he's been clumsy with detailed tasks ever since. He's good with ropes though, and any tasks that involves large object."

"Ahh." Levi nodded in understanding, "He must've been scared to serve two princes then."

Erwin chuckled, "I'd be too if I were him."

They began their soups, falling into silence with the occasional comment on the food. Levi tried not to say too much on the matter, he didn't want Erwin to know he had never tasted such dishes before. He mostly nodded and made sounds of agreement to appease him. It was when they started their main course that he decided to strike up a topic of conversation before Erwin beat him to it.

"Is this the usual ship you sail on?" he asked.

Erwin nodded, swallowing his bite of chicken before answering. "Whenever I'm just going out for a short day-trip, then yes. It's my leisure ship, if you would call it."

"What's it called?" Levi asked with genuine interest.

"The Eleanor," Erwin replied, "I named her after my mum."

Levi smiled. Erwin was a sweet man. "How old is Eleanor?" he asked.

Erwin grinned, then took another bite of food. Clearly he was more than happy to speak about his ships. "Eleanor's only four years old, this summer. I got her as an early eighteenth birthday gift."

Levi tried to seem politely-impressed rather than surprised-impressed. A ship for a gift was extremely lavish, and he was surprised that even the Sina Royals hadn't had something so lavish as a gift before. "That's amazing." he replied, honest awe in his voice.

Erwin beamed. "Yes, I was surprised myself. But summer is the best and safest time to sail, so it made sense to me. It's my smallest ship, to be honest. The other three are three-mast ships, so they take a larger crew to operate. They also are for longer trips, but I take them out on occasion for maintenance; it's good to make sure their rudders are all in working order and that their hulls aren't damaged anywhere. Keeps the anchors dry once in a while too."

Levi nodded. The professional language of boats was going over his head, despite the fact that he knew he had sailor blood in himself; his mother had told him his father was a sailor but he never believed it. Sina city had only a small port alongside a large river so sailors were a rare occurrence. Still, he agreed with Erwin: the sea was calming and a nice escape to think. Perhaps there was seafarer's blood in him after all?

"Do you have any horses?" he asked, changing the subject as they began to finish their lunch and proceed towards dessert.

The question took Erwin by surprise. "Y-yes." he replied, closing one eye and tilting his head to side as he thought. "I have...five? Maybe six?" He chuckled, then smirked at Levi. "One of them was pregnant, I think."

"Have you not been to see her?" Levi asked, his eyebrows knit together with concern.

"No. I...haven't been down there in about a month."

"Those poor animals." Levi frowned. "Horses have an eleven-month pregnancy. You can't leave her along for a solid month. That's a lot of change."

Erwin nodded, accepting Levi's lecture. "I was told by the royal vet-"

"Screw the vet! You are the owner, you should be there for her!"

Erwin chuckled. "Why don't we go tomorrow then? You and I. We can check up on Venus, and you can meet the other four too."

"What are their names?" Levi asked, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn." he replied with a laugh. "Unless we find out another planet soon, I'm going to have to name the foal after a star or meteor or something."

Levi laughed. "You named all your horses after the planets?"

"Well, I was learning about the ancient civilizations and astrology when I got my first horse. I named him after Mercury and the trend has continued until now."

Levi smirked.

"Well, what did you name yours?" Erwin pressed, attempting to defend his childish names.

Levi's cheeks turned crimson and he looked down at his custard-pudding. "Eros." he managed to confess.

Erwin burst into laughter, dropping the spoon he had just picked up back onto his plate. "The god of love?" he asked for clarification once he had managed to control his laughter, "Or did you just mean 'sensual love'?"

Levi felt his cheeks burning with the intensity of his blush. "The god." he mumbled, "I was learning ancient civilizations too."

Erwin chuckled, then managed to reign his laughter in as only small snickers. Levi took a bite of his pudding to stay quiet.

"So it's settled." Erwin grinned, before chuckling again. "We'll go see Venus and the gang tomorrow. If the foal is born you can name it."

Levi smirked and rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a plan." he agreed.

They finished their lunch in silence, listening to the sound of the crew working around them, and the hull as it groaned with each rock of the sea. When the vessel made a soft semi-circle in the water, and they felt the ship tilt towards port for several minutes, Erwin rose and came to offer Levi a hand.

"Let's go to the main deck. We've just raised anchor and turned around to head back to land." he explained.

Levi nodded, taking his hand and rising to his feet. He leaned on his crutch, careful not to step on his foot as he followed Erwin to the door. "We weren't sailing this whole time?"

"No, we laid anchor just before we came to eat. We stopped sailing when the wind picked up."

"Oh. The crew was still loud."

Erwin chuckled. "They were fishing. A few hands would be maintaining our position, but the rest would probably be fishing. I wonder if they caught anything worth serving today."

Levi smirked. "I thought the waters here would be teeming with fish."

"We throw back in the small ones because they haven't had a chance to grow and mate. If we took them all in, the population would reduce and we'd have no fish left to fish." Erwin easily answered.

Levi nodded in understanding. Erwin was very logical when he wanted to be.

"How's your foot?" he asked, throwing Levi off-guard. "I can only imagine what it would be like to get a pickaxe through your heel."

Levi shrugged. "Not too harsh." he admitted, "It's not as unbearable as it was. I'm almost tempted to walk on it, but I'm sure Miss Carolina would have my head for hindering the healing."

Erwin burst out laughing. "She's a good lady, she means well."

"I'm sure." Levi smiled, "She has a very motherly air to her. I appreciate her a lot."

Erwin smiled and leaned on his arms against the railing, looking out at the sea on the starboard side. "I feel that way too. She was my nanny when I was a child growing up. She'd watch me and her daughter Carla, and Mike."

Levi nodded, trying to imagine it. Erwin would no doubt be a proper Rose prince as a boy, all blue eyes and neat blonde hair. Probably with a clean and pressed, crisp, white shirt, and a smart looking ribbon-tie. He gave his head a shake and forced himself to return to the present.

"How did she come to work for your family?"

"She was my mother's lady-in-waiting. And her mother was my grandmother's. And so on and so on. Her son-in-law today is the King's advisor, which is something that her own grandfather was to my great-grandfather...or something in that lineup." he chuckled, "I guess you could say her family was around ours for quite some time. That's why we treat them with a lot of respect. My grandfather made them head-staff, so they can refuse the work they don't want. Mostly we get them to oversee the work: they became a form of extended family to us."

"That's kind of your family." Levi replied. "Some of the servants at Sina are taken in by pity, and that's about as kind as I've seen them be treated."

"Really? That's hard to imagine."

"I know. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it for my own eyes. But we have a poor district in our kingdom where some people live out in the streets and we have a smaller population than Rose Kingdom. That just goes to show for our leadership."

Erwin's lower lip curled down in disgust. He spat over the edge of the ship, then rolled his eyes for Levi's benefit. "I mean no offence."

"None taken." Levi simply replied.

They watched the sea in silence. Erwin mentally kicked himself; his behaviour had been rude. He opened his mouth to speak but found he just couldn't continue the conversation.

"What's your father like?" Levi asked, coming to lean on the railing with Erwin and changing the conversation.

Erwin took the new topic in stride. "He's...smart." he shrugged, "Caring, not always emotionally there, but then he notices he overlooked something and he takes the time to make up for it."

Levi nodded, "How about as a King?"

"Oh, let's not talk politics right now, Levi." Erwin replied, trying not to sound frustrated, "I'll tell you about my father as a man, not a king. You can decide whatever you will about him as a ruler when politics will inevitably come around."

Levi looked down as if he was being scolded. "I didn't mean anything...I just, am worried to meet him. I don't want to upset him, given the politics of our Kingdoms."

Erwin looked taken aback by Levi's behaviour. He straightened up, watching him with concern in his eyes. He hesitated, then placed a hand on Levi's back between his shoulder blades. "You won't offend him. I can't imagine you offending anyone."

Levi looked up when Erwin touched him, and for a moment Erwin was afraid that he would shake off his hand. But he didn't. Instead Levi nodded and looked back out to sea, emotionlessly.

"I mean it, Levi. I didn't mean to sideline you, I just...I get tired of politics sometimes. It's a constant in my daily life, as I'm sure you can relate. It gets so overwhelming. I want to see beyond the politics. I want to see you as a person, not as another prince or representation of another kingdom. And I'd want you to see my family as something other than the rulers of this kingdom."

Levi nodded again. Erwin's reasoning made sense and Levi found he could finally agree with him on the notion of tiresome politics. And then Levi found himself doing something that was out of character for himself: he turned to face Erwin and wrapped his arms around his waist in a hug.

Erwin made a sound of surprise, then wrapped his arms around Levi's upper back in return. A gentle smiled graced his lips and he looked down at Levi's dark hair, just below his own shoulders. A warmth spread in his body, a feeling of safety and comfort overwhelming him and rendering him temporarily speechless.

They stood embracing each other for some time, indulging in the fact that someone else out there wanted to see them as something beyond the class-based system their world pressured them into. The wind played in their hair, tousling the gold and black strands and chilling their exposed skin. They could feel the sea mist against them as they stood so close to the edge. Time seemed to have no meaning; it either slowed down or stopped entirely. The pair didn't move, only breathed deeply, and tighten their embrace, as if they were reinforcing their support of one another.

It was the red-haired girl that broke their intimate little bubble. She had called out to Prince Erwin and was now laughing. Erwin laughed, the sound a deep rumble to Levi, who was pressed against the blonde's chest. The sound, he admitted, lifted his spirits, and he hoped to hear it many times again over the next few days.

He shuffled to look up at Erwin and was rendered silent as their eyes met, Erwin's a bright, clear blue. The blonde smiled down at him, laughter still readable in his cheeks and lips, and then he released Levi from his embrace.

"Come!" He grinned, sweeping Levi up into his arms and ascending the stairs up to the poop deck. "Let's steer the ship to the mainland!"

Levi grinned, amused by Erwin's playful behaviour. He was getting used to be lifted off his feet at every staircase they approached.

Erwin set him down as soon as they had come to the helm, directly in front of the wheel. Levi's full height just made him able to see over the top of the wheel, the top of the circle nearly touching his chin. Erwin took his hands in his own and folded them over the wheel, then gently began to turn the ship so that leaned to the starboard side.

Levi chuckled nervously, then tried to look back at Erwin. "Are you really sure you want me to steer this?" He asked, "I could never replace it if we crashed."

Erwin only laughed, "It's alright. I won't let go."

Isabella stood nearby, sipping a mug of cool apple cider. The man that had been called to Erwin's side earlier stood next to her, muttering something to her in his unique accent that made her laugh.

When the harbour became visible to the ship once more, Erwin released Levi's hands and let him stand at the poop deck railing, as he had this morning when they set out. For the next half hour he smoothly guided the ship towards the dock, commanding his crew to tie in the sails to slow them down, and finally to weigh anchor. The crew began to tie the ship the dock again as Erwin lifted Levi into his arms and carried him back onto the mainland.

They walked in silence for a time, until Erwin set Levi back down on his feet once they had passed the docks completely. Erwin's expression was grim, his lips a straight line. Levi wondered why Erwin had lost his carefree spirit that he had on the sea. Before he could ask, Erwin grinned and waved at Carolina, who stood just on the patio of the royal castle.

"Ah, bless her, Carolina! She's probably waiting to help you wash up for dinner."

Levi smirked, "That's kind of her. I hope she hasn't waited long."

"No, no. She probably prepared everything when the ship became visible on the horizon line." Erwin replied. "She knows her timing well."

"Is dinner what upset you?" Levi asked, his voice low and, in his own strange manner, full of concern.

Erwin's eyebrows knit together and he bit his lower lip as he gazed down at Levi. He nodded once. "Perceptive, I'll give you that." he commented, "Yes, dinner is not something I look forwards to. You and my father in the same room, the potential for politics to paint things in a different light. I wouldn't want you to see my father as the villain or vice versa. In fact-" Erwin stepped ahead of Levi quickly and turned so that he stood directly in his path, cutting him off from approaching the castle any further. "I would appreciate it greatly if you could avoid all discussion of Princess Lana tonight. I know he might ask and I can only try to intervene, but if you keep your answers on her to a minimum, I would greatly appreciate it."

His words were spoken in a brisk rush and Levi could read the panic in Erwin's eyes. Levi was surprised; all this time he had seen Erwin as a controlled person that wouldn't panic under any situation. He nodded, trying to calm him down and regain the suave prince that was naturally able to control the environment around himself effortlessly.

"O-of course." Levi replied, "I would hate to taint the bond we've created."

Erwin seemed to calm down at Levi's words more than his actions, and he reached down to hold and squeeze one of Levi's hands in his own. "Thank you." he exhaled, seeming as though he no longer had this dark secret hidden away. "I should let Carolina help you clean up now. Dinner will be ready soon and it wouldn't be good on us to arrive late."


	6. Chapter 6

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 6: March 16th - Evening

A breeze had picked up and reminded the two princes that they should be heading for dinner. Erwin's gaze held a lot of emotions, but he was quick to look down at his feet and bow his head, seeming oddly sheepish about his request suddenly. "It means a lot to me," he emphasized, "That you would hold your tongue about your late sister. I know you might not have gotten along, but you were still family. It's rather dishonourable of me to request you avoid her tonight."

Levi nodded and smiled for Erwin's benefit. "No, it's not dishonourable at all. I...I'm glad you asked. It means I'm not the only one who would rather avoid her as a topic."

The fell silent, surprised by their mutual discovery of avoidance. Once they reached the patio, Levi found himself being led away by Carolina to the bathroom, where the tub full of steaming water was awaiting him.

"The salt of the sea can dry out your skin, so it's best to wash it away." Carolina informed him. "I have some dinner clothes prepared for you. And it would be best to wash your hair since you are going to be meeting with the King."

Levi wanted to inquire about meeting the King, but instead he replied with "Prince Erwin doesn't seem so fond of the idea." He stripped his clothing off, handing it to Carolina, then lifted himself into the tub, mindful of his foot.

"Well, Prince Erwin and his father have their disagreements. He's learned to keep quiet about it rather than upset his father."

Levi nodded, trying to understand. But with the topic of their disagreements being undisclosed, he wasn't able to fully grasp the concept. He frowned and said nothing in return, only splashing the surface of the water gently with his hand.

"What is it, your highness?" Carolina asked, sensing a change in Levi's mood.

"I'm just...worried about him." Levi confessed. "I don't want him taking anything to heart. It's just politics."

Carolina made a sound of understanding and nodded from her chair in the corner, having taken to it as a habit whenever Levi had lowered himself into the tub. "He's empathic for his age. His father is more driven by the good in the world. They'll balance out eventually. Besides, you are nothing like the royalty we were expecting."

"Why would they even agree to the marriage?" Levi asked suddenly. "Erwin seems very unhappy about the whole idea."

Carolina exhaled in a wheezy gust of strain, as if she was expressing that she didn't know how best to answer the question he had asked.

"Politics." She answered, separating her hands and raising them palm out for a moment, as if to give Levi a shrug. "If we didn't accept the marriage, then we would have been seen as rejecting any form of union between our Kingdoms and that would inevitably lead to one kingdom siding with Zeke and no doubt that will start a war truthfully neither of us are prepared for."

"I see." Levi replied, his eyebrows knit together. "It's marry Lana or give up any attempt at consolidation."

Carolina only nodded solemnly from her corner.

"I can only imagine what that would be like, to be told the entire Kingdom depends on you sacrificing the rest of your life with someone you are told to be selfish beyond all reasoning." Levi shivered, "I can see why he would want to avoid the topic of politics for the time being; he just managed to escape that by mere accident."

"And...well, to be honest with you, Prince Levi, I think he's afraid for the future. I think he's scared his father will try to cook about another plan to marry him and unite the Kingdoms, perhaps to a cousin of yours or something? He's a very strong-willed boy, but he loves his father, and his Kingdom."

Levi nodded, "That's probably why he asked me not to speak about Lana." he murmured.

"Did he now? Well, then I would agree with him. Perhaps speak of the accident instead? If I may be so honest with you, young prince, Erwin seems to put a great deal of trust in you. It isn't everyone that he asks things like that of."

Levi looked up, his grey eyes smoldering, and met Carolina's bright green eyes with a look of intense understanding. His look shocked the old lady into silence, and he nodded once, before he looked back down at the bathwater. This evening was going to be the hardest at Rose Kingdom he would have to get through so far, especially since he was not allowed to be his real self now - it would be too great a risk to reveal his true identity when he was first meeting the king.

"Can I ask you something, my Prince?" Carolina asked, standing up slowly. She approached Levi hesitantly, stopping short of the tub and cracking her aged knuckles to focus her stress.

"Of course, Miss Carolina." Levi replied, but his voice held no emotion. He lifted his head and looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, his face only visible in profile to her. He offered her a smile, but it didn't fully reach his eyes.

"Do you like it here at Rose Kingdom, your highness?"

Levi wasn't expecting this question, he was sure she would have asked about Lana or Erwin or even how the Zackly's spoke about the brewing dictator Zeke. His eyes narrowed and a small twitch appeared in his right cheek as he tried to figure out his answer to her question.

Carolina took his reaction as one of solitude, and with a sigh she turned and left the bathroom, not wanting to force him to answer her. She returned with his outfit for dinner, which she laid on the chair, and then brought over a fluffy, warm towel to dry him with.

"It's lovely here." Levi replied slowly, staring at his hands under the water in the tub when Carolina returned. She paused in placing his clothing on the chair but otherwise made no indication that she was startled by his response. "I just...don't see myself staying here. I don't see it working out."

He stood and stepped out of the tub, leaning against the edge so that he didn't have to put weight on his foot. Carolina opened the towel and wrapped it around Levi's shoulders, beginning to pat him dry.

"Why did you ask?" he asked in a low voice, pressing her for an answer.

Carolina sighed softly, her lips twisting up in a smile. "Oh, I was just wondering if there was any way you would stay, my boy." She gave a humble laugh, as if she were laughing at herself. "Prince Erwin was smiling for the first time in months, since the politics with Sina turned sour, and it was all because of you. It's good for him to have a friend he can be so carefree with. And, well, I've grown fond of you myself, dearie."

Levi smiled, amused by her words. "I would love to stay." he admitted, "I've grown quite fond of my friends here too."

Carolina smiled, but there was a pain in her eyes Levi couldn't quite place. Before he could ask, she turned and brought him his clothing, helping him dress for the evening: black trousers that extended over his boots, a crisp white shirt with the collar hugging his throat, and a dark, charcoal grey vest that cinched in at his waist. She added a black, satin cravat, elegantly knotted at the base of his throat, and tucked the long tails into his vest, then pinned the cravat into place with a large, round, emerald gemstone.

"It's the stone of the Smith family," she explained, holding out a black tailcoat for him to place his arms through. "It would be seen as a symbol of gratitude and unity. A very subtle hint of unity."

Levi slipped into the coat, noting that the bow on his crutch didn't need to be changed. Afterwards, Carolina added the last detail that Levi had completely forgotten about, a thin circle of silver that rested on his head and gave him his social ranking, his crown. It was plain, having filigree engravings on it that made it stand out as nobility, but Levi could tell it was not something that was meant to be shown off. And the pressure he felt after being crowned with it made him dizzy: if anyone were to find out he was a commoner wearing such a thing, he would be executed on the spot, regardless of kingdom.

He nodded, allowing Carolina to guide him to the chair in the corner to once more re-dress his foot. But he found he couldn't say anything: the crown and the Smith family jewel were too much. It wasn't his place to act as heir to Sina Kingdom and present King Smith of Rose Kingdom with false hope at unity. But if he were to confess that he was an imposter now, he could very well anger the King and be sentenced for treason anyways. Levi bit his lip, mentally kicking himself for letting it get so far out of hand. He knew that staying silent would eventually back him into a corner where he couldn't confess without risking his life, and now he was beginning to realize he had long past that point. He could feel an anxious panic begin to build up in his subconscious as he realized that once introducing himself as the prince to the king, there was no turning back.

Carolina distracted him. "Your foot seems much better than it was this morning, Prince Levi." she exclaimed, "Perhaps going out to sea helped."

Levi chuckled, "Perhaps Prince Erwin helped." he teased, "He carried me around quite a bit today."

Carolina laughed. "That would be it, he's given your leg a break!"

"Well, from stairs for sure."

"I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know he's helped your foot a great deal."

Levi chuckled, "I'm sure it would go to his head."

The pair fell into fits of laughter at the thought and it was a short while before they both managed to compose themselves.

"Oh, dear Prince, I should escort you to dinner now." Carolina giggled.

Levi nodded, rising to his feet. He leaned heavily on his crutch, then began to walk alongside the elderly maid, following her to the dinner-hall.

"How's your grandson?" he asked, having met Eren very briefly the second day he was bed-ridden.

Carolina laughed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, he's fine. He's taken to watching the ships now that we let him go as far at the docks again. Winter made us curfew him to the gardens at most, and now he's got this grand idea to become one of Prince Erwin's sailors."

Levi chuckled, "That sounds like a good idea."

Carolina patted his arm and rolled her eyes again. "Don't let him go hearing that. His mother is worried sick that he'll join the navy and be killed by pirates."

Levi chuckled, "I'm sure he can handle himself against a pirate. He's got quite confident skills with a sword."

"Bringing down the curtains was in no way confident!" Carolina scolded, laughing at Levi's remark.

Levi grinned, "I found it entertaining."

"Found what entertaining?" Miche asked, meeting the pair of them at the foot of the stairs.

"Carolina's grandson, Eren." Levi replied, "How are you, Miche?"

"Oh, I can always smell when that boy's up to no good." Miche smirked, "I'm fine, Prince Levi. I have the privilege to join you and his royal highness for dinner tonight."

Carolina rolled her eyes. "When don't you?" she teased.

"Most nights." Miche replied in good humour. "Only when there's council or a special guest."

The trio made their way to the dining hall, where a long table had been laid out with food: oysters, cream of barley soup, poached salmon with mousseline sauce, filet mignon lili, saute of chicken Lyonnaise, lamb with mint sauce, roast duckling with apple sauce, mashed potatoes, roasted squash, cold asparagus vinaigrette, and pate de foie gras aux truffes. Levi was stunned just by the way it was entirely laid out. Unlike Sina, Rose Kingdom placed large platters of the dishes on the table, and had servers on hand to serve portions of it to each guest, so that they didn't serve you a dish you wouldn't like. Sina, on the other hand, would just serve each person a plate, regardless of noble status, and expected you to eat or throw out whatever was on it.

Prince Erwin was already at the table, having been seated beside where Levi assumed his father would sit at the head of the table. He was dressed in a pressed, white dress shirt with a high collar, and a brown tailcoat, left undone. Around his neck he wore a thick gold chain with a large, circular green jewel that Levi immediately recognized, and around his head he wore a thick gold crown, adorned with six, smaller but familiar green gems at fixed places around it. He bounced in his seat at the sight of Levi and Miche, and they were escorted over and seated so that Levi sat opposite Erwin and Miche sat beside him. He smiled at Levi, drinking in his appearance, his eyes lingering on the thin band of silver around his head, as if it verified that he was Prince this whole time. Levi's cheeks tinted pink under Erwin's stare and he turned to see who else was seated at the table nearby them.

Beside Levi and opposite Miche, a small blonde boy was seated, who he was introduced to as Captain Nanaba, a recently promoted soldier in the army. Beside Nanaba, a tall man with long brunette hair and glasses was seated. He leaned around Nanaba to introduce himself as Hanji, yet another Captain of the guard. Opposite Hanji was a soldier Levi had met previously, Captain Flagon, who was one of Erwin's personal guards whenever the need arose. Once more he only nodded and gave Levi a grim smile.

"Shit, the amount of Captains here gives me the feeling King Smith is using this dinner as a council meeting." Miche mumbled to Erwin.

The Prince only nodded, then met Levi's eyes with a bold stare. He was clearly reminding him of their agreement after sailing. Levi nodded once to let Erwin know he understood. Tonight's dinner was going to make him the main focus of attention, and he was sure he would need Erwin's help if he wasn't going to fuck it all up.

Suddenly, a trumpet sounded, ending all conversation around the table. Erwin rolled his eyes, licking his lower lip, and the King and Queen emerged from the doors at the north end of the room. They walked hand-in-hand, until they had reached the south end of the table, which was seated with ladies, where King Smith pulled out the chair at the head of the table for his wife. Afterwards, he returned and seated himself at the north head of the table, and Levi noted he wore nothing that was the mourning colour of black.

Levi looked back to Erwin and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't wearing black either. The guards around him were not wearing black either, their uniforms consisting of brown leather and green shirts. Levi found himself singled out as the only person at the table wearing black mourning clothes. The crown seemed to tighten around his head, and he swallowed noisily, attempting to keep a clear head despite the meaning behind the colour scheme in the room: no one here paid any attention to Len and Lana's deaths. But he went unnoticed for the moment, all eyes on the green-clad King of Rose Kingdom. He wore floor-length robes, the colour of forest-leaves, and a thick belt of knitted gold around his waist. His sleeves were held back from his hands by wrist-cuffs of solid gold as well, and around his neck was a thick gold chain; it's links were made of squares of gold, with every second square housing a green gem that represented the house Smith. In the center of the necklace was a large oval gemstone, engraved with a capital 'S' in the center of it. There was no mistaking the design or meaning behind the statement piece: this type of jewelry was only worn by the rulers of Kingdoms, and it was the King's duty, and mark of office, to wear such an elaborate and bold piece.

"As all of you are aware, the marriage between Princess Lana of Sina Kingdom and our own Prince Erwin has been denied by means of death one week ago to this day. As you can probably imagine, this puts us all in a tight situation, as King Zackly and his family are unaware of the death of their daughter, which has political consequences between our two Kingdoms."

There were several nods from the Captains around the table and a few gasps of surprise from the queen's ladies-in-waiting.

"We are still expecting King Zackly and his queen to arrive, as previously scheduled, to not only recover the body of their daughter, but also to ensure that political relations remain strong. Fortunately, today, we have a special guest amongst our midst. Joining us for the first time since the tragic attack that claimed the lives of his sister and their servant, the Prince of Sina Kingdom, Levi."

King Smith motioned to Levi at his left hand side and Levi was forced to rise and take a small bow towards the southern end of the table, and then towards the King. King Smith reached out and shook Levi's hand, his large hand easily engulfing Levi's. Levi blushed, then sat at the King's polite request.

"We hope to establish the truth about what happened in the attack, and make constructive steps towards recovery."

The ladies-in-waiting all began to clap in hope for political peace. The captains all gave grim nods and rare, hopeful smiles. Prince Erwin met Levi's eyes and the corners of his lips pulled up, but the smile did not match his eyes. Levi tried to return Erwin's smile, but the threat in King Smith's words had made him anxious: 'we hope to establish the truth,' the king had said, implying that Levi could lie about the entire attack.

After the round of applause faded, the table seemed to split in two. The ladies-in-waiting began to talk about the outcome of the wedding, speaking about new potential brides for Prince Erwin and the change in plans for the ceremony. The captains all turned towards the north end of the table, murmuring to each other about the death of the princess and potential strategies to catch the raiders.

King Smith filled his plate with food, taking some of everything the vast table had to offer. Levi waited for Prince Erwin to begin to take the food before following his example, he didn't want to reach out and begin to fill his place if it was out of his turn. King Smith turned to Levi once he was done, then offered him a kind smile. Levi noted that his smile was similar to the one Prince Erwin gave him when he first met him, but it was less enthusiastic. Levi offered him what he hoped would match the King's enthusiasm, not wanting to be seen as overly accommodating, easily intimidated, or simply dimwitted.

"Ahh, Prince Levi, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." he began, "I trust you are feeling better."

Levi nodded, "Yes, thank you. And it is an honour to meet you, Sire."

"You spent the last two days with my son, I hear."

"Yes, it's been...I'm honestly just so grateful for it, for him, for- for Rose Kingdom. Truly, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

King Smith smiled genuinely, thoroughly impressed by Levi's words. He clearly wasn't expecting gratitude.

"It warms my heart to hear your thanks. I have to confess, it is not what I expected to hear."

"I've been told that quite a bit in the last few days." Levi blushed.

King Smith chuckled, then glanced at his son, pausing to take a bite of his food. "I suppose you would." he smirked, finishing eating before answering. "We were told to expect the children of Sina Kingdom as 'high maintenance.'"

Prince Erwin smirked at his plate, glancing up through his soft, gold lashes to catch Levi's expression.

Levi shook his head from side to side, eyes downwards. His cheeks glowed a soft pink, staying blushed. "I...suppose." He agreed, "My sister certainly was."

King Smith chuckled, "My condolences, Prince Levi."

"Thank you." Levi replied in a low voice, his voice naturally cracking out of shock rather than grief. He still was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that Lana was indeed dead, it was something he thought was too good to be true. Underneath all of his conscious observations he still felt as if she would dramatically burst through the doors at any given moment and call him out for faking his identity and befriending her fiancé.

"I confess, I am not all that grieved by it, pardon my honesty Prince Levi." Erwin casually admitted.

King Smith gave him a hard stare, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Prince Levi-"

"It's fine." Levi smiled, "I admit, I'm honestly not all that grieved by it either." he stated coolly.

King Smith's eyebrows rose to express his surprise. "Why's that?"

"Lana was...controlling. My whole family is. I suppose it's a Sina thing."

"If it's a Sina thing, I wonder how you didn't catch it."

Levi chuckled, taking a moment to swallow his food before replying. "I suppose it's easier to see the further back in the hierarchy you are." He moved a piece of his saute of chicken Lyonnaise around on his plate with his fork, licking his lower lip and cutting a piece of chicken as he continued to speak. "Maybe I noticed it because I found a way to relate to the people. Or perhaps I was just more humane than they are. I'm not sure. But I wouldn't lie and say that the Sina royals are very humane, they can be cruel when they want to be. And more often than not, they want to be. They seem to thrive on the power difference."

He ate his piece of chicken while King Smith rolled this information around in his mind. "They seem quite diplomatic when they want to be as well."

"They can be. I cannot believe any of it. I've watched them beat their servants more times than I could count."

Prince Erwin snorted, attempting to hold back a laugh. "That's quite a statement, considering the education you must have."

Levi smirked, "It's the truth. Any offense is worthy of a slap, at the very least. Lana often ordered our servant to do it, said her hands wouldn't be able to hit that hard. Or that the impact would chaff her skin."

"What a prestigious bitch." Erwin mumbled.

"Erwin!" His father scolded him, shooting him a glare.

"I'm sorry." Erwin bit out, "But I _cannot_ stand to hear about her." He raised his head enough to look at Levi, implying that he should stop speaking about her. He knew enough had to be said to satisfy his father, but this was where he was going to draw the line and remind Levi of their agreement.

"The accident then." King Smith stated, taking the change of topic in stride. And it was more than likely because he didn't want to have his son behave so impolitely. "I would be very much interested in your account of it, Prince Levi."

Levi nodded, trying not to react surprised by the King's cool attitude. Sina royals would argue until the most stubborn person won, or until someone walked out – usually upending the table as they left. "Ah, the accident," Levi repeated, trying to buy himself some time. "What would you like to know?"

"Your account of it." King Smith simply stated, repeating his words with a smirk, his fork held just before his lips as he replied.

Levi nodded. "It's all very confusing, even for me." he began, motioning to the side of his head with his fingers outstretched. "It's very blurry."

"Understandably." The king replied. "You had substantial head injuries and I can only imagine the trauma. But just tell me how things happened as you remember it. Doesn't matter if you forgot some things or mix them up."

Erwin watched Levi with growing concern. The dark-haired boy bit his lower lip and his thin eyebrows drew together. He seemed uncomfortable with the new topic.

"It was...very sudden." Levi recalled slowly, trying to please the king. "I told your captain Miche about it earlier this morning, so it would very much be the same account. I only saw a few of raiders: a tall skinny one, with shoulder-length dark hair and dark eyes. He wore high boots and a hat, so I had a hard time seeing his face, but he did have some hair on his chin. And there was also two big fat ones. They were poorly dressed, like slobs; all rags and tattered clothing. One had a blunt club-like instrument, the other had the pickaxe that he put through my foot."

The king's eyes widened at the mention of Levi's injury. The boy was brave and attentive, this was more detail than he had given Miche this morning. Judging by his expressions and the way he kept his eyes closed, he was putting more effort into recovering the memory for the king now, or perhaps he was recalling more of it because he had more time to heal?

"The three of us were discussing the wedding when the raiders attacked us. I don't know what happened exactly, you would have had to ask Judd that. He was the carriage driver's son and I knew they were talking earlier, so they must've been side-by-side. What I do recall is the loud noise, followed by a big shake. I thought perhaps we had hit an animal at first, or another of the road's massive potholes. But then Judd didn't communicate with us as he usually did; normally he would tap the discussion window twice to let us know it was alright. This time, I could only hear him and our driver shouting. And then the carriage was being rocked from side to side.

"I assumed we were being raided because of the commotion. Being in the forest between kingdoms, I knew raids were quite common. I also knew the raiders would want to take my sister and me hostage if they ever got inside the carriage, and I knew that the driver and his son wouldn't distract them for very long, so I told Len and Lana to help me hold the door; it swings outwards so barricading it with whatever we had inside the carriage wouldn't help. The fat pigs – I mean, brutish men – began to attack the carriage in order to open the door, hitting it with their objects. I know there must have been more raiders than the ones I saw because the side was hit in multiple places at once, I could feel the wood vibrating. Lana got scared when they started to attack and Len tried to comfort her, so I was the only one pulling the door handle inwards when that disgusting bast- excuse of a human being put his pickaxe through my heel.

"I fell backwards and when I fell backward I hit the opposite wall of the carriage. The raiders charged the carriage to open the door and under our combined weight, the carriage was pushed backwards until it tipped. It all becomes a bit blurry there, but I know Len broke his leg. Lana was unconscious when we stopped falling. Because of the way we fell, or rather the way we landed, the door was stuck, unable to swing open because the carriage had become wedged between two thick tree trunks. The glass is fire-hardened so it's impossible to shatter. The raiders dropped a torch on the carriage when they started fighting over something, I wasn't really focused on their words because my head was throbbing and I was trying to make sure my sister was alright. They ran away when the fire broke out and I tried to get the three of us out of the discussion window, but I must've passed out."

The king nodded, making eye contact with Levi and Miche the entire time. The captain nodded at the king after every statement Levi made that he had told Miche earlier this morning, verifying his answers. If it was a detail he wasn't informed of, Miche hummed lowly in the back of his throat. Erwin stared at his plate the entire time, trying not to become too angry. He wanted nothing more than to find the raiders who attacked his friend, but he didn't want to compromise their discussion: Levi was already under tremendous amounts of pressure without having three aggressive nobles after him.

Levi took a deep breath when he was done and then took a long drink of the white wine in front of him. Then he resumed eating.

King Smith finished chewing, then placed his fork down on his plate. "I am so sorry that you had to experience that." he murmured, as if he were at a loss for words. "Truly, and for the loss of your sister and your servant."

Levi wanted to tell the King that the raid had helped him more than harmed him, but instead he simply said "Thank you."

"Now that we've interrogated him, _twice_ , have we decided on any course of action?" Erwin asked, clearly bothered by how quiet Levi had become.

The king gave Erwin a tired smile. His long fingers circled the base of his wineglass. "I think...I think it would be in our best interests to not go after the raiders."

Levi looked up, surprised by this decision. It seemed that everything the Rose Royals did was the opposite of the Sina nobles.

Erwin and the captains all nodded once, as if they completely understood the reasons for this decision.

"It's just...the description of the raiders is vague. The only person that could really help us is Judd, and he left before we had any chance to properly interrogate him. It's not Prince Levi's fault, but to have barely a face to search for, it's too risky to send out my regiment. If the Sina Royals disagree with this, then I plan to negotiate that we each employ a smaller regiment to search for the raiders."

Levi nodded, "That's fair." He realized he must have spoken his thoughts out loud and grimaced as every face at the north end of the table turned to stare at him in shock. Had he broken a court rule?

Erwin smiled at him, "I agree, Prince Levi."

"I agree as well." Miche added.

King Smith chuckled, "I'm glad it's unanimous."

Hanji made a small sound of hesitation. "Eh, wouldn't it be better to at least send out a crew to the villagers closest to the forest? That way, we can say we made at least _some_ inquiry into the matter."

Levi turned to face King Smith. The king motioned to the waiters to clear the table, holding onto the stem of his wineglass. "Hmm," he hummed, raising a hand to stroke the blonde stubble on his chin, "I suppose that's an idea."

Erwin's bright eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to voice his opinion. But he closed it right away. The servers brought forward their desserts on small trolleys, piling onto the table waldorf pudding, peaches and wild berries in chartreuse jelly, chocolate, berry, vanilla, and coffee éclairs, and a variety of teas to choose from. Levi waited until the guards began to reach out and take their choice of dessert before he also reached out and chose a maple tea.

Erwin smiled at Levi, observing the first thing the young prince chose. His eyes darkened slightly with insightfulness, before he cleared his throat and turned his attention back to his father. "Why not send out the soldiers tomorrow then? They could question the locals and perhaps go over the route of the attack. The wreck of the carriage must still be there, perhaps they could recover a door or something? Just so we have something for the Zackly's when they arrive."

Hanji nodded. "Mmh, that's a great idea, Prince Erwin!"

Miche snorted, his lips curving up in a smirk. "Sounds like unnecessary work." he commented.

Erwin smirked at him, then shook his head slightly. "You're a strong boy, Miche. You can do it."

Miche chuckled lowly and Levi felt his heart rate increase. The sound of Miche's deep laugh made his stomach twist and his crotch feel hot. He blushed with embarrassment, realizing he was aroused. For a moment he envisioned a wedding in his head, an image brought on from his sudden attraction to the sound of Miche's low tenor voice in response to Erwin's playful banter, and he realized that he was more than comfortable envisioning himself at the one walking up the aisle to a faceless groom than he was standing at the altar and awaiting a faceless bride. And for the briefest of moments the groom was neither faceless or nameless, but tall, blonde, and blue eyed, who stood awaiting him wearing a golden crown and a charming smile.

"Prince Levi?" King Smith asked, noting his flushed cheeks.

"This was...quite interesting." he commented, motioning to the peaches and wild berry chartreuse jelly he was eating with his spoon. "I didn't expect it to be so sweet." He hoped his lie was believable, glad he was quick at thinking on his feet.

King Smith smiled, "Ah, yes. It's quite a delicacy."

Levi smiled in return. He managed to stay quiet for the rest of the meal as King Smith made the arrangement for tomorrow's investigation with his guards. Prince Erwin made few comments, but shared many looks with Levi across the table. His clear blue eyes made Levi's entire body feel heated and he found himself looking away first most of the time.

When the ladies began to rise, Levi could tell the dinner was over. He was surprised by how exhausted he was having just been sitting around and talking. Now he understood why Len complained about going to councils, they would have less food and more talking and he was sure his head would explode if the topics were not urgent enough.

He stood, feeling the blood rush back into his injured foot, and sighed in relief. Carolina came to his side, having waited for him to rise from the doorway, and then took him by the arm. Together they bid everyone a good night, but were surprised when Prince Erwin insisted on walking with them back to the north-east wing.

Levi was quiet as they approached the stairs. He wasn't sure what else to comment on besides their dinner conversation, and he was sure Prince Erwin was sick of talking about the accident and Lana, so he stayed quiet and bit his lower lip.

Erwin lifted him up easily as they began to ascend the stairs.

"So, tomorrow, we'll go and see Venus and the horses." he reminded Levi.

Levi instantly brightened up. "Yes, I can't wait."

Carolina chuckled behind them, coming up the stairs at a slightly slower pace. "It's good that you boys aren't so focused on the politics." She commented, "Seeing the horses would be a nice outing."

"Yes," Erwin replied, "And in the afternoon I'll need you to take Prince Levi's measurements."

Carolina frowned at Erwin, looking up at him after he set Levi back on his feet at the top of the stairs. "It wasn't cancelled? Oh, that's...that's controversial, no?"

"Quite frankly, I don't care. All the arrangements had been made. I discussed it with father, and he thinks it's 'the perfect opportunity to find another bride.'"

Levi quirked an eyebrow and looked up at both Carolina and Prince Erwin. "Erm, _what_ hasn't been cancelled exactly?"

"The Royal Ball." Carolina replied with a heavy sigh. "It was supposed to present Princess Lana and you as the royal guests and it was supposed to be the night Prince Erwin decided to propose or not."

"Oh." Levi mumbled, looking away immediately. "So the party is still happening then?"

"Naturally." Erwin bit out. He looked to be quite pained by the idea.

"I suppose since it was such a lavish event, other princesses _may_ attend the event." Carolina mused out loud, "But perhaps you won't be so _forced_ to choose one so suddenly, Prince Erwin."

Erwin smirked at her words. "That's what I hope." He met Levi's eyes and fell silent, and for a moment it appeared as though he had lost himself in their gaze. And then he gave his head a slight shake and one corner of his lips pulled up into a handsome, crooked smile. "It's already so late. You must be tired, Prince Levi. I'll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast."

Levi nodded at his words. "Ah, but Prince Erwin-" he began, " There's no need to send Captain Miche to fetch me. I can manage the stairs myself."

Erwin chuckled and turned away, heading towards his own bedchamber. "I'll be sure to remember that, Prince Levi." He replied.


	7. Chapter 7

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 7: March, 17th

Levi had little time to ask Miss Carolina about the upcoming royal ball. She took care not to tell him too much whenever she did answer him, only informing him that it would happen the day after tomorrow. After washing up for bed, he was too exhausted to coax her to give him any more information.

"You must still be healing from that head injury." Carolina tsked, smoothing his cropped black hair off his face after he had laid down. She made sure to be careful where the dark scabbing covered the wound from the crown, and paused to check on its progress: the wound was now smaller in size but just as dark; it was a blessing it was mostly hidden under the prince's black hair. "I know you might feel well enough to walk around and take care of yourself, but you still have to take it easy. I'm sure the medic would agree that you still have a concussion from all the tumbling."

Levi wanted to nod but his head hurt to move. He bit his lower lip and closed his eyes to ease the pain. "How long will it take to go away entirely?" he asked, frustrated that he wasn't healing as fast as he wanted. It had been horrible to lay in the hospital for three days after the accident, but he found it almost as unbearable now that he could walk but not run.

"Another week or two. At the very earliest." Carolina replied, continuing to stroke his forehead. "Shh, just go to sleep."

He had taken her advice and let himself fall asleep. Now that it was morning, he had risen before Carolina had made it to his room. He headed to the bathroom, where Carla was drawing him up a bath. Carla was a lot shyer than her mother, perhaps being closer to his age than Carolina was, and she hurried to find her mother when Levi entered.

He surprised himself with how fast he had washed himself in his hurry to meet Erwin and head to the stables. He hoped it wasn't as obvious to Carolina as it had been to him, but she chuckled as she dressed him for the day in white riding pants, a black button up shirt with a high collar, and an asymmetrical, button up, tight black jacket, with his knee-high boots from yesterday. Levi grinned at her, knowing that she was amused by his behaviour, and stood eagerly. He had been trying to wean himself off of using the crutch, hoping that he would be able to walk without its assistance for the royal ball. Carolina supported this decision and offered him her arm, but he tried not to rely on her; he thought she was too frail in her age to support him. The thought amused her.

He pulled opened the bedchamber door eagerly, hoping to brave the stairs on his own today, when he was surprised by Prince Erwin standing just on the other side of it.

"Prince Erwin!" Levi cried out, jumping back out of reflex. He breathed heavily and focused on composing himself.

"You told me not to send Captain Miche." Erwin replied with a seductive smirk. "So I came in his stead."

Levi burst into laughter. "You. are. _relentless_." he sighed, rubbing his temples between his thumb and middle finger, his forehead in his hand.

Erwin chuckled, "Well, it really wouldn't do to break your foot before the royal ball." He teased.

Levi rolled his eyes and the pair began to head towards the stairs together. Once at the top, Erwin lifted Levi off his feet, holding him against his chest as if he were a small child, and headed down. He set him on his feet once they reached the bottom, then leaned back to survey his outfit. He reached forwards and straightened the tails on the front of Levi's jacket, his fingertips brushing along the top of his thighs.

"You look great in riding pants." He commented, his voice low and husky. His eyes seemed glazed over with distraction.

Levi smiled at Erwin's compliment, but a haze of confusion made him confused as to why the Prince's words made him feel warm and caused his heart to stammer. He quickly looked away and bit out a "thanks," before adding "you're not so bad yourself."

Erwin smirked at Levi's words, and laughed through his nose. He paid no attention to his own white riding pants or soft grey jacket. Instead, he reached out and took Levi's hand boldly, and began leading them towards the dining room. They had an elegant breakfast of oatmeal porridge with baked apple slices, peaches in syrup, poached eggs with salt and pepper, mushroom and veal omelets, and cinnamon raisin toast. Prince Erwin gave Levi his winning grin again when the servers brought forward a modest selection of breakfast teas, with one server making the tea exactly to perfection. Levi blushed, then complimented the server. He found it odd that Erwin was putting in such an effort to please him when he thought it would really be the other way around.

The castle was oddly quiet, and Levi looked around for some sign of other people. "The guards are investigating this morning." Erwin answered his unspoken question. "The castle staff have this time off, with few exceptions. And most of my family are all in council."

"Oh." Levi replied, unsure of what else to say. A castle where the servants got time off was something he had never heard of before. "That's...nice." he commented lamely.

Erwin chuckled, "I didn't think you would be _this_ excited to see the horses. They seem to be all you're thinking about."

Levi laughed. "I suppose so."

He rose, following Erwin's lead, and the pair began to make their way to the front of the castle.

"The stables are not entirely at the back. It's a bit longer to go by the front, but it's a nicer pathway. We can walk up on the castle wall if you want to. I normally don't take the horses up - it can be done but it freaks them out - but up on the wall is a nice sight. You can see around the city from up there, almost all the way out to the villages. Perhaps we'll catch sight of the guards returning?"

Levi nodded. It did sound inviting, but he wanted to see the horses first.

Their walk to the stables was broken by Prince Erwin pointing out many sights for Levi not to miss: the sun rising in the east, over the harbour and beginning to climb high enough to begin to touch the western courtyard of the castle with its bright rays; at the front of the courtyard some of the staff had brought out buckets and began washing their own laundry; and from a distance, as they made it around the west side of the castle, they could begin to make out the navy soldiers in the distance taking care of the ships bobbing alongside the docks. They stopped for a moment to admire the view, and Levi smirked when he noticed that Erwin's chest puffed out a little as a look of pride crossed his face when he overlooked his navy from a distance. It was clear by even his subconscious actions that he really admired the sea.

They reached the stables before noon, joining what appeared to be a crowd of castle staff around the center stable. Prince Erwin took Levi's hand and led the way through the crowd, taking him to the front of the gathering. King Smith was already there, as was his wife, and the royal veterinarian.

"Venus is having her colt." King Smith informed his son.

Levi's eyes brightened and he released Erwin's hand to get closer to the doctor. Venus sat on the floor of the stables, turning on occasion to check the progress on her birth. The colt's front hoof were just barely visible, beginning to exit the mare's body, and the doctor stood closest to her, ready to help if Venus or her foal if they needed any assistance.

"Just letting nature take her course." the veterinarian told Levi with a smile, his arms folded across his chest.

"Most mares don't need help anyways. Only if they're malnourished or injured, correct?" Levi replied.

The vet's eyes widened and he bent at the waist to bow at Levi. "Dita Ness," He introduced himself, "and you are correct, Prince Levi, with so rare exceptions for illness or injury in these stables, it would be rare for a mare to need assistance here."

"How is Venus?" Levi asked. He wanted to run his fingers through her mane, but he knew he was a stranger to her. His presence would be more stressful than soothing, so he kept his distance so she could focus on the birth.

"She's been good. I've been checking her since four weeks ago. No significant sign of birthing until this morning, when her water broke."

Levi nodded. He didn't realize Prince Erwin and King Smith were watching his interactions with Ness more than the horses.

"No lactation, or swollen vulva or hip muscles?"

Ness gave Levi a look of disbelief, before glancing at Prince Erwin and smiling at him, then Levi again. "No, your highness. This morning, I came to feed them on time and all, then I noticed the swollen muscles. I was debating adding a heat compress to help relax her when her water broke."

"No lack of an appetite started several days ago? No restlessness? Or frequent urination?"

Ness blushed, these were telltale signs of mare labour. "No, your highness."

Levi nodded, "And the foal?"

"Began to appear several minutes ago."

"Wow! Then she certainly is a strong mother." Levi complimented Venus.

Venus turned to face Levi and Ness, then huffed as if recognizing them. Levi stepped forwards and crouched down so that he was closer to her body, allowing her a moment to judge him and reject him if she needed to, before he curled his fingers through her mane around the base of her neck and stroked her neck softly.

"There now, almost done Venus." he whispered.

Venus huffed again, and with a final slick sound, followed by a light thump to the ground, the foal appeared coated in blood. The foal made a small noise, then looked around, looking up at all the people.

Levi continued to stroke the mare's neck again, gently petting her. "There now, good girl."

He stood and moved towards her rear, joining Ness in observing the baby foal. It was crucial to let natural instinct guide the foal, as they didn't want any human interference to influence the foal otherwise.

"Filly or colt?" Levi asked, watching the foal with interest.

"I can't be sure from this angle." Ness chuckled, "Let's wait for it to stand."

Prince Erwin came to Levi's side. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it instead. Levi smiled up at him, but didn't say anything in response. He was surprised to have been so bold with the foal's birth, but he helped in many back home, and it always pained him to see the horses having difficulty; he was glad that Venus had a natural, unassisted birth.

Prince Erwin simply reached out and wrapped an arm around Levi's shoulders, the corners of his lips twisting up in a soft smile. "Thank you." he whispered into Levi's ear, becoming lost in the smaller boy's silver gaze when he turned to look up at him.

"For what?" Levi asked, surprised by the Prince's affectionate behaviour.

"For sharing this with me." Erwin replied.

Levi smirked, then returned his attention to the foal, who was just beginning to rise. It wobbled on its feet for a moment, then gazed at the ground in confusion. Ness took the opportunity to get on his knees and check the foal for any injuries or abnormalities, as well as sex, but was careful to keep a distance and not startle the newborn.

"It's a colt." he pronounced, before rising to his feet, careful not to touch or confuse the colt.

Levi smiled, "A baby boy." he murmured.

"Levi." Prince Erwin smiled.

Levi looked up at him, "Yes?"

"Oh, not you, Prince. The colt." Erwin replied easily, giving Levi a flashy smile.

"The colt?" Levi repeated, his words only tainted with the air of a question. "You're naming the horse after me?"

"Yes," Erwin replied, pulling Levi closer into his side and squeezing his slender shoulders with his hand. "This way, you'll be near to me, even when you return to Sina Kingdom."

"I thought you were going to let me name him." Levi pouted.

Erwin smirked, "I'll let you name my next ship."

Levi's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh!" he bit his lower lip, "I like that."

Erwin smirked, "I'm glad."

Levi the colt had taken his first steps, and was staring at the ground in amusement, amazed by his ability to walk. He was still shaky on his feet and wobbled, but the colt was strong enough not to fall yet. Now hungry, the colt headed towards Venus, coming to nurse at her belly.

Levi smirked and met Ness's eyes. "I trust you will take good care of them."

Ness bowed and seemed to bristle with pride. "Of course, your highness."

"Let's ride." Erwin grinned, "We'll come back and check on Venus in a bit."

Levi nodded, following Erwin to the south end of the stables. They had been left alone there, with the rest of Erwin's family having retreated after the colt was born. They saddled up Mars and Jupiter, a tall blonde horse and a smaller auburn one, and pulled on riding gloves. Erwin smirked, bowing in front of Levi and cupping his hands together.

"I apologize, your highness, I don't seem to have a stool."

Levi rolled his eyes. "I can get up on my-"

"Your foot." Erwin pointed out.

Levi sighed heavily, "I'm surprised you don't just place me on-No, no! I'll step up it's fine!" He quickly stepped into Erwin's palms, stopping Erwin from rising to pick him up, and threw his injured leg over Jupiter's back. He settled into the saddle, then carefully placed his injured foot through the stirrup, and gathered the reins in his hands.

Erwin smirked, then wiped his hands together and lifted himself up and onto Mars's back. He quickly kicked his feet into the stirrups and took hold of the reins, as easily as he had taken the wheel of the ship, then pressed his heels into the horse's sides and led them forwards and towards the back of the castle, where Levi had seen him arrive the first day before lunch.

Levi followed, sighing in happiness to feel the wind rushing through his hair again. The last time he had ridden a horse, his hair was longer and all one length, and would whip out behind him like a dark banner. Most of the time it would tangle together in a messy clump, but now the wind easily passed through it. Feeling the wind rush along his scalp and the sun kissing his skin, Levi smiled and gazed around him at the beauty Rose Kingdom held.

They passed under the castle's eastern gate, heading towards a lush field of tall green grass and vibrant red spider lillies. The sky was a clear blue, with a burst of fluffy white clouds heading towards them from above the distance forest trees. Birds of all sizes flew above them in a small bunches: white seagulls heading to the docks, smaller sparrows that lived in the large oak trees that were scattered throughout the field and offering small patches of shade, and a variety of woodland birds, small colourful woodpeckers and bluejays. And in the middle of all this beauty was Prince Erwin: tall, handsome, kind, and strong. His fair hair was highlighted with a shine of yellow gold by the sunlight, his eyes twinkling with affection as he turned his horse to face Levi, a laugh tumbling out past his full, smooth lips.

Levi felt desire burn through him, the sudden urge to kiss Erwin causing him to lick his lips and smile. He was glad Lana wasn't here, glad Lana would never share this moment with the Prince, and that was all he needed to realize that he would never kiss Erwin. The thought of Lana made him remember that he wasn't a prince and this wasn't a fairytale. He forced himself to come back to reality, and he trotted Jupiter to stand beside Mars.

"Rose Kingdom is very beautiful." He stated, "I have never seen so much colour in one place before."

Prince Erwin reached out and caressed Levi's cheek. "I have never seen the colour pink as beautiful before." he replied, catching Levi's blush.

Levi's eyes widened and he looked away, unsure of what to say. Thankfully, Erwin saved him from having to reply.

"I don't normally come here at this time of year. I spend too much time heading to the docks. Sometimes, this field is not yet full of life until early summer. I suppose spring came early this year."

Levi chuckled, "Perhaps. The birds have indeed hatched early if that is the case."

"All the animals are." Erwin mused, thinking of Levi the colt. "Perhaps they hurried to meet you." he teased.

Levi chuckled softly, looking down and caressing Jupiter's neck. "It's beautiful here." he murmured again, almost wistfully. He knew in a few days at the most he would have to be gone from this kingdom and never return. Once the Zacklys' arrived, they would inform the Smith family of his true identity and brand him a traitor to both their kingdoms. And if he were to confess now... He mentally kicked himself; he knew that playing the role for long enough would make it impossible to explain the truth. And if he were to be completely honest with himself, he knew that he honestly didn't want to admit the truth and taint the relationships he had made when he eventually revealed himself. His entire character would be seen as utterly deceitful.

Prince Erwin watched Levi with concern and curiousity. Never before had he met another noble so humble in their position, nor one so enamoured with the world around them. Levi seemed to be in love with the universe; he knew about the planets and the animals, and he genuinely cared about them. Unlike his conversations with other nobles, his conversations with the strange Sina prince were neither rushed or crammed with words. Rather, the silences that fell between them seemed natural and guided their conversation forwards as easily as if they had spoken out loud. And the atmosphere around them always seemed to become heated when the two of them were alone together.

He licked his lips and smiled to himself, watching Levi trot Jupiter towards the large oak tree and reach a hand up to touch the rough bark of the trunk. The prince was unusual in his own way, and yet it made him seem extraordinary to Erwin. He kept his distance from the small prince, staying a few feet away, fighting the desire to descend from their horses and pin Prince Levi against the trunk of the oak tree and kiss him until he swooned. Erwin forced himself to look away and push the thought from his mind; he had never thought of a princess in the way he was fantasizing about the Sina Prince, (a fact that he had already known about himself from a young age), but he hadn't exactly fantasized over any other prince either, so he didn't know how to rightfully respond to the situation. Should he be suave and flirtatious, which he tried before and seemingly confused Levi, or should he simply force himself to ignore the feelings and not confess them to Prince Levi at all?

Levi turned to face Erwin then, still holding the reins of Jupiter's harness in his hands. The atmosphere between them had grown heavy with intimacy as they had rode through the quiet of the meadow, becoming one with the other animals there. Erwin felt a heat spread through his chest that caused his lips to stretch into a bright smile.

"E-enjoying yourself?" He asked, a little unsure of what to say. It was the first time in his entire life Prince Erwin was unsure of himself.

Levi smirked, "I suppose."

Erwin felt his heartbeat increase at Levi's answer.

"Are you?" Levi countered, not hiding the fact that he was checking Erwin out.

Erwin bit his lower lip, then blushed, nervous by Levi's bold flirtation. "I am. It's...quiet. I admit I'm not as used to this as I am with the ships, it's always so loud or busy on deck. But it's nice here, being away from everyone and just...being with you. I...like it. A lot."

The corners of Levi's lips turned up and he seemed to glow with an odd sense of pride. He said nothing in reply, and Erwin smiled in encouragement to hear his voice again.

"So that party coming up?" Levi led on, suggesting it as a question so that Erwin had a chance to back out.

"What about it?" the blonde replied.

"Miss Carolina wouldn't tell me much about it."

Erwin held up a finger and then swung his leg over Mars' back, before jumping to the ground. He landed easily on his feet, then took the reins over Mars' head and tied them to the trunk of a thinner oak tree. Levi joined him and the pair began to walk through the meadow together, side-by-side.

"Well, she's not alone in that aspect." Erwin chuckled, his hands dipping into the pockets at his waist but bending one of his elbows outwards so Levi would have something to hold should he need an aid.

Levi rolled his eyes, linking his arm with Erwin's. "Oh, c'mon. What's the big secret? I just want to know what I'm getting into."

Erwin laughed, "'What you're getting into?'" he repeated, "What do you mean? Have you never- You've _never_ been to a ball before?" Realization appeared on the blonde's face and a twinkle appeared in his eyes.

"I guess." Levi shrugged, "There's...really nothing to celebrate in Sina, except Lana's birthday. Or the king's."

Erwin laughed. "Yeah, I suppose."

"So...what's...well, what's to celebrate?"

"You arrived, haven't you?" Erwin replied with a shrug of one of his shoulders. "Is that not reason enough to celebrate, _Prince_?"

Levi smirked, then rolled his eyes again. "Hah hah. I mean, wasn't this supposed to be your _engagement_ party?" he replied, "Wouldn't it be...insulting to the Sina family to just...go ahead and do it."

"You worry too much about your family."

"That's easy for you to say. You don't have to return with them."

Erwin frowned, "Then just stay here." he countered.

Levi stopped walking and gave Erwin a puzzled look. "You don't-"

"I know." Erwin cut him off, "That was unfair for me to say."

Levi nodded. They fell into silence again. It was very much like when they were on the ratlines aboard the Eleanor yesterday, with the wind gently tousling their hair and creating the illusion that they were touching each other when they weren't. Levi reached up and ran a hand through his hair, pushing it back and off his face. It fell back into his eyes as soon as his fingers passed through it.

"It's fine. I just...I don't normally say things like this. But I want you to know that I...I really value our friendship and...And I hope that...that after everything..."

"That we don't...fall out?" Erwin finished for him, looking down at him with concern growing in his seablue eyes as Levi struggled to find the right words.

"Yes," Levi nodded, "fall out, exactly."

Erwin threw his arm around Levi's shoulders again, sighing heavily with worry. "Me too, Levi." He was surprised when Levi reached out and wrapped an arm around the small of his back in return.

The men stood holding each other for a long moment in silence. The sun passed overhead, hitting a peak in the sky, and the horses grazed at whatever grasses they found within reach of their ropes. The birds around them had become quieter, with many young ones returning to sleep in their nests high up in the trees. A coyote raced out from the treeline at the far end of the meadow and stopped when it caught sight of the horses. The horses stamped their feet and exhaled heavily, and upon catching sight of the two humans, the coyote turned tail and ran back into the trees. Levi sighed softly and Erwin rubbed the top of Levi's arm as he gazed around at the environment around them.

"We should be heading back soon." he began, "We'll have time to check up on Venus and then you can get measured for your outfit just before dinner."

Levi nodded, but neither of them moved. He wanted to ask Prince Erwin more about the ball, but he held his tongue. He debated feigning illness to avoid going altogether. Being in the meadow, bathed in the sunlight with the handsome prince, made him push the thought of the ball from his mind. Silently, he stepped away from Erwin and began to untie Jupiter's reins, before lifting himself with some difficulty onto the horse's back.

"Hang on," Erwin called, "Let me help."

Levi smirked, already seated in the saddle. "I'm fine, Prince Erwin. You pamper me too much."

Erwin gloated, proud of his achievement.

They rode back in near silence, pausing every so often to admire the view or point out something to one another. On occasion they threw around ideas to unite their kingdoms, cherry-picking aspects of each kingdom they valued, (most of which centered around Rose Kingdom), and debating about potential solutions to civil problems, (most of which came from Sina Kingdom). Erwin listened to Levi's ideas with interest, observing the passion and interest in the many topics of social injustices. It was a striking contrast to how he spoke of the social injustice that cost him the life of his sister and his servant. When he spoke of the raid his voice was empty, almost as if he could barely believe it happened. Prince Erwin wasn't sure what exactly caused the difference, whether it be due to Prince Levi's difference with his family or not, but he tried to convince himself it was simply survivor's guilt.

They reached the castle stable by early afternoon. Levi immediately had the horses led to the trough for water after removing their harnesses. Erwin watched him brush his fingers through their manes and along their coats, then reluctantly part from them to check on Venus. She was still resting, her colt sleeping by her side, and Levi stayed a cautious distance away from them.

"They're not meant to be crowded or pampered," he stated, a light air of teasing coating his words. "They need to bond to each other before human interference."

Erwin nodded, "You seem quite adept at breeding." He commented.

Levi smirked, unsure if Erwin meant to create a sexual innuendo or if he was simply referring to the horses. "I told you, I love horses. It isn't so much breeding as it is learning all I can on the subject."

"Would you learn all you can about sailing if I learn about horses?"

Levi thought for a moment. "I could try, but I'm not too sure how to be much use on a boat."

"Well, you didn't get seasick, so you're off to a good start." Erwin teased.

Levi chuckled, "I suppose. What would you have me do first?"

"Lookout, perhaps? It's not too hard. Or perhaps helmsman, steering us around."

Levi's eyes widened in horror at the thought of being responsible for the course of the vessel. "I'll stick to swabbing the decks or something the rest of your crew was doing."

Erwin laughed out loud, clasping a hand down on Levi's shoulder. "Yeah, sure." He agreed to humour Levi. He caught Levi looking up at the castle wall and rolled his eyes upwards so that he could give Levi a sheepish look. "I promised to walk you on the wall today, right?"

The question pulled Levi out of his thoughts. "Do we have time?" He asked, conscious of dinner.

Erwin chuckled, "Of course."

He led Levi over to a narrow stairway, with an abundance of thin steps that slowly led up to the wall of the castle. He held Levi's hand and let him proceed up five of the steps before he tugged him gently, prompting him to turn around. He turned around himself, waving behind himself to motion to Levi to get onto his back. "C'mon."

"Again!?" Levi asked, mortified. Being slung onto the Prince's back on the ship was bad enough, let alone in front of all of the castle guards and staff.

He could hear Erwin's laughter, and despite not seeing his face he knew that his lips had parted to reveal his flashy smile. He bit his lower lip, knowing it would be childish to argue with him, and climbed onto his back.

Erwin locked his hands under Levi's bottom, making sure his palms faced down for modesty, and then leaned forwards so that Levi was forced to wrap an arm around his neck. He chuckled, beginning to ascend the stairs, taking them three at a time.

Levi began laughing, finding the Prince quite childish when he wanted to be. "Careful!" he cautioned, the stairs were narrow and had no railing.

Erwin laughed loudly, "I got you! Don't worry!"

He turned at the top of the stairs and ran in the direction they had just come from along the top of the wall. The wind blew through their hair and pulled at their clothing. The guards atop the wall watched them passed and looked for any signs of danger before chuckling at the sight of the two grown men acting like children.

Erwin stopped running a ways away, his breathing heavy but not yet ragged. His hair hadn't become a mess by the wind as Levi's had, so he ran a hand through the smaller man's hair as soon as he had placed him down on his feet. He flashed Levi a grin, amused by himself.

Levi smirked and shook his head. "That was fun." he admitted.

"Next time you're running with me." Erwin smirked.

Levi chuckled, "Sure."

The pair linked their arms together and began to continue walking towards the south of Rose Kingdom. Levi placed his hands inside his coat pockets, feeling the winter's chill still stubbornly clinging to the new spring air.

"I often come running up here with Miche in the morning." Erwin admitted, "I find it's refreshing, running up here rather than down there. The elevation makes it feel like you can breathe freely, and the wall – just running on a long strip of land that you can fall off of – it's a nice reminder that I'm mortal."

Levi gave Erwin a funny look. "You need a reminder for that?" he asked.

"I can have high confidence." Erwin shrugged. "Truth be told, I'm a bit of a daredevil."

Levi chuckled. "'A bit?'" he quoted.

They fell into a comfortable silence and Levi found himself staring down at the ground from atop the wall. It was a long way down. He hated to admit it, but he felt a strange stirring in his body as he wondered what it would be like to free fall from the top of the wall down. Would it hurt to land? Could he survive? Could Erwin?

Erwin wiggled their linked arms and met his eyes. "I think I lost you there." he teased.

"Yeah." Levi murmured.

"Thinking of jumping off?"

Levi's eyes narrowed but he smiled. "Naturally."

"I'm gonna." Erwin replied easily, pausing for dramatic effect. "This summer, I devised a harness so that I can jump off and feel the fall. Miche is going to help me."

Levi's eyes widened with desire. "That sounds amazing!" A sudden fire was lit inside him, the daredevil bug he thought, making him want to put himself into risky situations that could cost him his life. Perhaps he had always been seeking an adventure, perhaps he was looking for a distraction from his own life-threatening situation of fraud, or perhaps he was simply willing to do anything as long as it was with Prince Erwin? Regardless of the reason, Levi felt irrationally excited by the thought of being able to jump off the wall and survive.

"Perhaps you do need a reminder you're mortal." he found himself telling Erwin.

The prince laughed. "Perhaps you're as crazy as I am."

"Erwin, you crazy bastard!"

The pair looked over the edge of the wall to find Miche staring up at them, a wide grin on his face under his mustache.

"Come on up, Miche!" Erwin called down.

"Bastard!" Miche called up again, but humoured Erwin and jogged over to the stairs.

Levi and Erwin waited in silence until Miche reached them, his large body barely affected by the run.

"We just returned from the investigation." he announced, surprising Levi by reaching out and giving him and then Erwin a hug. Levi supposed it was because Erwin and Miche were so close that it wasn't seen as something against the class system.

"How'd it go?" Erwin asked.

"Not bad, not good. We actually got a tip on the raiders, apparently some farmer spotted them on the edge of the forest when he was checking his fields the night before the raid."

Levi shifted his stance, trying not to seem too interested in the information.

"Same description, saw the two fat ones."

Levi nodded.

"He went to send his son to tell a guard of the suspicious men just hanging out on the edge of town, but by the time he got to his house he said the men had gone."

Erwin nodded as well, his lips pressed into a thin line. "That's disturbing."

"It gets better." Miche continued, "No one else had seen them. He asked around the next day. Three other farmers were out checking nearby fields, no one else had seen them. But they had seen another carriage prior to dusk."

"Another carriage?" Levi repeated, "Did they describe it?"

"Nope. Just said it was a brown carriage, very fast. Four horses; three brown, one white. Came from the south."

"The south?" Erwin repeated. "There's not a kingdom south for several miles. It would be quite a long journey."

"Who else could afford four horses?" Levi asked, picking up on the animals. "Most farmers can't even afford one."

Erwin hummed. "That's all very strange."

Miche nodded grimly. He shifted his feet, then smirked, looking down his nose at both princes. "Did you run for a bit?"

Erwin chuckled. "I tried while carrying him."

"Would you mind a footrace?"

Levi smirked, "I can't imagine how you don't knock each other off the wall with those broad shoulders." he teased.

Miche chuckled, "Easily. Hop up, I'll carry you, your highness."

"I got him." Erwin countered.

Levi took a step back. "I'm fine just walking after you two."

The two blondes looked down at him in amusement, each seeming more threatening than the other as they began to debate who would carry him.

"Prince Levi!"

Levi looked around for his savior. The last thing he wanted was to be carried along for a run when his head was beginning to ache again.

"Prince, I need you for your measurements." Miss Carolina called from below, having sighted him up above.

Levi nodded. "I'll be right down." he called.

"Another time then!" Miche teased, "The three of us should race when his foot heals."

Erwin laughed, "That would result in a tragedy. I wouldn't want to knock him off."

Miche laughed, then motioned down to Carolina. "I'll take him down."

"Wait," Erwin told him, then turned to Levi. "I'll see you the night of the ball. I'm sorry, but I'll be busy tomorrow in council with my father."

Levi nodded and tried to smile despite feeling his heart sink in his chest. He had anticipated this since Erwin had arranged that he would be fitted for his clothes for the ball tomorrow and it was most likely that Erwin wouldn't be coming along for the fitting. "Then I hope you have a good day tomorrow, Prince Erwin." he replied.

Miche didn't allow them time for Erwin to reply. He gathered Levi into his arms and carried him down the nearest staircase, before placing him on his feet next to Carolina.

"There's no dinner tonight," he informed her, "There's a council."

She frowned, then nodded. "I'll take his dinner to his room then."

Levi watched them speak in whispers, quick to ask her what it was all about the moment they had began to walk away from Miche.

"Just dinner," Carolina informed him, "The king would like to have a private dinner tonight."

Levi nodded, and the pair continued to his room in silence.

Carla was in his room when he returned, fussing over various shades of fabric that were laid out on the bed. She also had several sewing supplies and a variety of forms with her on the side table, which she had dragged closer into the room.

Levi sighed and greeted her with a smile.

"You don't like fashion much, do you, your highness?" Carla joked.

Levi smirked, finding that he had taken quite a liking to fashion after having met Prince Erwin, but he kept that to himself. Instead, he simply replied, "It's just the measuring I dislike, it's rather time consuming."

Carla laughed, her voice light and soft.

Carolina took a seat in the corner of the room, watching Carla begin to run the measuring tape along the length of Levi's shoulders, down his back, and around his neck. After a long time, she began to hold various materials out to him, letting him feel them and comparing their colour to his skin. Carolina commented on them, trying to seem interested in the conversation. In truth, her thought process was once more on the strangeness of the young Prince.

Since Prince Erwin had been spending time with him over the last few days, she had some free time in which she had been able to inquire about the information they had been given over the young Prince of Sina Kingdom. It took her several hours of digging to find out what had happened to the correspondences that were between two kings, but she had finally managed to discover where the letters had been placed, and after reading them in confidence, she was sure the prince before her was very different from the one described in the letters, even in appearance. The last letter they had received informing them that the Sina children would be en route had described him as fair skinned and bright eyed, which was true about this prince as well. But his described younger age, brash behaviour, fussiness for food, enjoyment of war, and dislike of any body of water was nothing that she had experienced or seen so far.

Regardless of the differences between the Prince and his descriptions, Carolina was more focused on another outcome: supposing Prince Levi was not a prince at all, how was it that Miche had confused him to be one? Miche was not a stupid man by nature, and he was not one that was easily fooled. He was also not a man that would bring anything untrustworthy to Prince Erwin, his charge and lifelong friend. Was it possible that he would _deliberately_ bring Levi to Rose Kingdom under the guise of being the prince? Was there a reason he would do something so fraudulent - _intentionally -_ towards the Smith family?

Carolina was broken out of her thoughts by Levi, who had come over to her and touched her hand. "Miss Carolina," he spoke, "I was wondering if you would like to have dinner with Carla, Eren, and me on the back porch?"

Carolina smiled and nodded, rising to her feet. The young prince and her made their way to the porch, where Levi had ate lunch with Prince Erwin several days before. Carla had already brought dinner out, making the table distinct from where Levi was sitting and where they would.

"Set it for royalty all round." Levi informed her, seating Carolina at the space Carla had intended for him. "Tonight, I want you to share my dinner with me as thanks for being some of my closest friends."

Carla smiled, helping Eren into a chair. The table was laden with food, though not as lavish anything had been the night before. They had roasted potatoes topped with sour cream and green onions, pan fried breaded chicken, and a lush green, kale based garden salad, with steamed green beans, carrots, and oysters, paired with a dark red wine to drink. They spoke of Rose Kingdom over dinner, and how beautiful it was.

Levi was surprised by how quiet Carolina had become since earlier during the measurements, and he hoped he hadn't offended her by interacting with her daughter. He asked about Carla's husband, Grisha, hoping to alleviate any tension, but Carolina had remained distracted throughout dinner and he began to feel increasingly paranoid over his secret identity. Perhaps that was the reason for her to be so upset?

It surprised him when Carolina had come to his side after dinner and began to walk him to his room as usual. Tonight he braved the stairs himself for the first time, and despite the slow-going, he was able to make it down and back up on his own with only the help of the railing. Carolina said nothing to him, so he decided to ask her about her mood before turning in for the night.

"You were quite quiet tonight, Miss Carolina? Did something upset you?" he asked politely, trying not to seem too concerned. It was a fine line to keep professional, as well as genuine, without coming across as uncaring or suspicious.

Carolina gave him a tight smile, one that seemed as fronted as the ones she had given him all afternoon, and opened her mouth to speak. But no words came out. Instead, she ran a hand through his hair, then motioned for him to lie in bed so that she could tuck him in. She had thought of him all through dinner and decided she would speak to Miche about him in private once again. He was fair, kind, and polite, and the only time she had seen him heavy-handed was towards any form of injustice. It wouldn't be fair to accuse him of something so treacherous as fraud, even if the accusation was true.

"Nothing, my prince." she replied, "I was just tired, that's all."

Levi nodded, but didn't seem entirely convinced. To end their conversation before it began to go in circles, he closed his eyes and mumbled, "Me too," efficiently shutting her out of any more conversation. He tried, but she ultimately shut him out in the first place.

After a moment in which he allowed his breathing to slow and his body to relax, Carolina left his side, and he fell into a deep slumber. His dreams were dark and muddled, and despite the blankets he was nestled in, he felt cold. 'Nothing, Levi, I'm just tired, that's all.' he heard his mother tell him, in the same rough tone she used every night when she put him to bed and hoped he would leave her alone; it was one of the only things he could remember his mother ever saying to him, and it was one of the only memories he had of her face. Her eyes would be darkened with a lack of sleep, her hair was be dry and pulled from her impressive hairstyles for work, and her skin would be cracked and reddened after removing her makeup to sleep in the morning. 'Nothing, Levi, I'm just tired, that's all.'


	8. Chapter 8

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 8: March, 18th

Levi woke up to a dark and empty bedroom. He felt his eyelashes attempt to stay stuck together as he opened his eyes, so he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands and sighed unhappily. He had dreamt about his mother last night; it must've made him cry again. He rubbed the tear stains off his cheeks, then forced himself up and headed towards the window, where he dragged back the wooden shutters on their tracks. He was surprised as he realized there was no glass in the window frame, making it possibly for him to easily throw himself out the window if he wanted to. The thought disturbed him and made him contrast Rose Kingdom to Sina Kingdom again: there was glass in all the windows in Sina castle, and in some cases, even bars.

"Perhaps because Sina makes you _want_ to throw yourself out the windows?" he mused aloud.

The sky outside was grey, just like his mood, so he leaned against the windowsill and allowed himself to sulk. He had ignored his crutch and simply walked on his foot to get over here, and there was a dull sting in his ankle that made him unsure of whether he should walk back to bed on his foot or hop.

The door opened and Carolina walked in, inhaling sharply at the sight that greeted her: a rather glum prince staring at the crutch beside the bed and leaning against the open window for support.

"My Prince, good morning!" she began, clearly concerned by his gloomy expression.

"Morning, Miss Carolina." He replied, his voice unenthusiastic. "Forgive me, I don't feel well."

"Are you sick, your highness?"

Levi bit his tongue. He wanted to command her to stop pretending to care, but forced himself to remember she wasn't his mother. Still, she was the reason he thought of his mother, and his mother was ultimately and indirectly the sole reason he got into this entire case of identity theft in the first place. If she had been a better mother, if she had taken care of herself better, he would never have ended up serving the Zackly's and therefore he would never end up here, in Rose Kingdom, pretending to be the prince. He scowled and squeezed his eyes shut.

"Mentally, maybe?" he replied, "Can I just throw myself out the window and go back to bed?"

Carolina stared at him in shock, "I doubt you'd go back to bed after _that_ , my prince, but I can help you go back to bed now if you wish." she replied, then brought his crutch to him and helped him back to bed.

She pulled up a chair and began to untie the bandages around his foot, not saying a word to him until after she had taken a good look at his heel.

"It's coming along." she informed him, wrapping it this time in a soft layer of gauze so that his skin could breathe easier. "Another day or two, I would think."

"By tomorrow?" he asked.

"Most likely, if you stay off it. Any pain?"

"A dull sting."

She nodded, "Dull is good."

"I walked on it yesterday." He frowned.

"That might have been too soon." She replied, "Best to stay off it and give it some more time."

He nodded. The two didn't meet eyes. They sat in silence for a long time.

"I'm sorry, Prince Levi. I didn't mean to upset you."

Levi nodded again. He wanted to ask if he could see Prince Erwin today, but he knew that Erwin would know that it was for a very critical reason as to why since he had already regretfully informed Levi that he had a busy schedule today.

"Are you upset by the ball?" she asked, having gotten no response to her words.

Levi shook his head. He wasn't going to cry, but he was upset. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be left alone at this point in time or if he would throw himself out the window if given the chance.

"Should I arrange a lunch with Prince Erwin?" She asked, hoping the name would perk Levi up enough to speak to her again.

He looked up at her hesitantly, then quickly mumbled, "He's busy with council."

Carolina smiled, reaching out to rub Levi's back. "Let's get you dressed. We won't stay in the castle today. I'll have Carla arrange us to go into the city instead."

Levi's eyes widened. Rose city was not as large as Sina, but it also didn't have the impoverished population that Sina had. The city was also less grandeur, but just as beautiful. It didn't need the large towers or golden flagpoles Sina had to radiate exquisite beauty of its lush white stone buildings, dark wooden structures, and vibrant vegetation. Rose city always seemed so clean and well-cared for, which Levi associated with affection. To him, the beauty of Rose city was the feelings behind it, and that was worth more than all the gold in Sina.

"I'd like that very much." he breathed, a smile slowly caressing his face.

Carolina's answering smile was filled with warmth and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "I'm glad." She replied, then rose and helped him to his feet. Silently, she helped him dress in black pants with the same black button up shirt, and asymmetrical, tight, black jacket as yesterday. To finish, she placed the simply silver crown on his head "so that the locals would have something to gawk at," she teased him.

"How fitting." Levi commented, wearing full black for the first day since the attack.

"Hush now, it's best for the citizens to see you as mourning."

Levi smirked, "I could care less." he confessed, his voice full of mischief.

"Ohh, you!" Carolina scolded, but there was warmth in her voice as well.

Levi smirked; he knew he could say it so openly around her because she wouldn't take any offense to it. She led Levi to a small lounge room on the ground floor where he was given a buttery bagel sprinkled with poppy seeds, slices of apple, orange, and lemon on the side, and sunny side up eggs for breakfast, with a large glass of almond milk to drink. She sent Carla off to arrange a carriage for the three of them, and afterwards suggested they could take a squad of the royal guards as a precaution.

Carla had arranged the carriage and Ness, the stable-hand, to look after Eren in her absence, but the royal escort would be trickier to obtain on such short notice. King Smith had called for a council today, which included most of the captains, so taking a section of their squad members without consent would be simply wrong. But this meant that asking them for their squad would involve interrupting the council. She waited ten minutes outside the door, hoping that she would be lucky enough to catch a small recess to interrupt, but council hadn't taken a break. When she knew she couldn't afford to wait any longer, she knocked the door three times, hearing the voices inside stop at once, then the king called out for her to enter.

"Pardon the intrusion," she began, entering the room, "Mother and myself are taking Prince Levi into the city and were wondering if there was a squad of soldiers available that we could take with us?"

Prince Erwin's eyes lit up and he seemed to straighten up at the topic; seemingly anything to do with the young prince was of interest to the blonde. He smiled at the idea of his close friends taking him out to see more of the kingdom, glad that Levi wouldn't be trapped cooped up his room for the rest of the day.

Miche's eyes flickered to Erwin's as the King looked around at the various captains.

"Hmm, I suppose so. How about...Nanaba, you and your squad?" King Smith suggested.

"Why not Miche?" Erwin suggested, not letting Nanaba reply.

Miche made a low noise in the back of his throat that resembled a hum of both interest and approval.

King Smith's eyes narrowed. "Because he's of interest here in council." He replied, as if this was quite obvious.

"Captain Hanji was also present during the investigation. He can inform us of their discoveries. Miche can go with Prince Levi." Erwin countered. "He's already heard and given statements regarding the accident _multiple_ times, and he's worth an entire squad himself. As I'm remaining in council, and the castle, Miche - being my personal guard first and foremost - is of no use to me right now. I'd rather we play low-key and send only a good soldier than send a small squad and attract unwanted attention."

King Smith sighed heavily, but turned a hand up at Erwin's suggestion. "You seem to have all the answers." He replied, "And if Miche going along alone would keep from drawing a crowd, then I agree it's for the best."

"I'll take my leave then." Miche announced, before rising and bowing at the waist to both the King and then Erwin. Then he turned and began heading to the door where Carla stood. He wiped at his mustache as he walked, pausing to inform her that he was going to gather a small amount of his squad and gear, since he would need an extra man or two to watch the horses and provide additional lookouts.

Carla nodded, then waved at her husband, who sat beside King Smith. She returned to where her mother and Levi sat, joining them in debating how the various amounts of sunlight affected their moods.

Miche arrived shortly after, a long cutlass harnessed at his waist and a sash of authority slung across his chest, and announced they were ready to leave. Levi was relieved that it was Miche escorting them. He hadn't wanted the escort but Miche was more like his friend, in the same way he didn't view Carolina as a servant, so it felt more like a trip out with his friends than it did a formal event.

The four of them got into the carriage, Levi seated beside Miche and the two women seated across from them. Two of Miche's subordinates followed on horseback at each side of their carriage, and another two sat in front, guiding the horses pulling the carriage. They left just as the sun was hitting the highest peak in the sky.

"Can we have lunch outside the castle?" Levi asked, surprising them all. "Or is it forbidden?"

Miche smirked, "I know a few good places to go."

Carolina gave Miche a motherly look. "I don't doubt you do." she mock-scolded him.

Carla giggled behind her hand. She leaned against the back of the carriage and closed her eyes, "I'd love to go out for lunch." she stated, "It would be wonderful to eat without worrying about fighting Eren to eat his food for once."

Levi chuckled at Carla's statement, the ghost of a smile twisting his lips upwards. "Enjoy it, Carla." he teased.

Their first stop, however, was not for food but for fabric. Miche stayed outside the shop with three of his subordinates, sending in Petra – his only female soldier. They spent twenty minutes debating colour, and another twenty minutes debating types of fabric. Even Levi was beginning to feel exhausted of the topic when they had finally settled on something, in which Carolina dragged him out before Carla paid for it with the royal account.

Miche snorted at the blush on Levi's cheeks and poked at him. Levi looked downwards out of embarrassment, and Carolina noted the look in Miche's eyes as the captain looked at the young prince. His insightful eyes were bright as he boldly met her gaze and nodded once, communicating the one thing that she wanted to know the most: he would talk to her about the strange prince when they returned home tonight.

Their second stop was the furthest out of town, at the local blacksmith's. Miche went inside with them, more concerned with the location of the shop on the edge of the city and close to the rural community than the reputation of the blacksmith, Hannes. He was a tall, rude man, often drunk before noon, but highly adept at his job. Hannes took the measurements he needed and informed them he would have their order delivered to the castle by no later than noon tomorrow. Levi was hesitant with the man's brisk behaviour, but Miche silenced him and sent him back out to the carriage before he could voice his opinion. He hung back to speak to Hannes in private, and Levi caught the words raiders as he was ushered back outside by Carolina and Carla. They waited in the carriage for several minutes before Miche returned, flashing them an apologetic grin before he began to climb into the carriage.

"Can never leave your work behind, can you?" Carolina teased him, to which Miche only shrugged and grinned, embarrassed.

Miche decided to stop them for lunch afterwards, so they stopped at a large restaurant in the heart of the city. The staff had managed to find a large table towards the back of the restaurant that seated the eight of them, and ordered a large twelve-pound salmon that had been dressed with lemons and onions and roasted in a fire pit. They also ordered potato salad, steamed vegetables, creamy white clam chowder, oven-fresh buns with butter, a small helping of hashbrowns, and several pitchers of their homemade ice tea. Levi held Miche's eyes for a moment before boldly ordering three shots of their finest rum, insisting that Miche would have one shot with him.

"I'm on duty." Miche stressed, "It would be against-"

"You won't be able to drink with me tomorrow." Levi pouted.

Miche frowned. Carla giggled.

"It's just one. You're _huge_!" Levi argued, "Like one shot is going to impair _your_ judgment much."

Miche cracked a smile, taking Levi's words as a compliment for his towering height and broad build. "Fine. But just _one_."

"I get two though!" Levi grinned.

Miche rolled his eyes, then met Carolina's glance. He smiled, and she smiled in response, and he pat Levi's shoulder. "Fine, only two though. After two I'm going to have to get strict with you, otherwise Prince Erwin would be disappointed in me."

Levi's eyes lit up and he bit his lower lip, debating pushing to three drinks just to see Erwin's reaction when they got home. As if he read his mind, Miche held up a finger and firmly stated, "No. You won't do that."

Levi smirked but obeyed, not wanting to be seen as too delinquent. He had one shot to begin his meal, tapping glasses with Miche before downing the contents of it, and he finished the second halfway through his meal. The alcohol did little for him, but he felt older drinking it; it was something that helped him feel his age. All the escorts and servants had made him feel like a child again, the alcohol was a small way he could gain some independence of himself back. And it also served as a means for him to appear as though he truly belonged to the social class he was presenting himself as. Most royalty would be insulted to dine without fine alcohol or hot tea, and this establishment clearly would not be able to provide them fine tea. Therefore, his request for the alcohol was in good taste and provided him with a good cover for his nobility serade.

Miche paid for his squad's meal, leaving Carla to pick up the tab for the royal party of three with the castle funding. Levi insisted on walking from the restaurant throughout the city for a bit as they digested their food, so Petra and Oruo were left with the horses while Miche, Gunther, and Jinn followed Levi, Carla, and Carolina on foot throughout the city.

It was afternoon by the time the party had reached the tailors and Levi was re-measured by the meticulate head seamstress. He lounged with Miche and Jinn after he was free from their tape measures and rules, leaving Carla and Carolina to talk with the tailors in hushed voices, making adjustments to the garments that was planned. For the most part the shop was relatively quiet, except for the sound of the sewing machine whirling almost constantly. Despite the machinery, Levi had a slow steady conversation with Miche as they waited. He inquired about Prince Erwin and was surprised when Miche told him about Prince Erwin's family, how the queen was often absent to most royal events and how Erwin's relationship was with his father.

"His father often disagrees over things in Erwin's personal life." Miche explained in a low voice, "So naturally I try to be close to him so he has some outlet for all the frustration."

Levi nodded, then reached out and touched Miche's shoulder. "I'm glad he has you."

Miche glanced down at Levi's hand and smiled fondly at him, "yeah, me too." he replied.

"So the boats?" Levi asked, trying to steer them to a safer topic than his immediately thought of marriages.

"Aren't something his father supports entirely."

"Of course, 'the Eleanor,' his mother."

Miche nodded, "It's always been his mother 'fueling' his interests, so to speak."

"But he loves his father."

"Well, naturally. And King Smith loves him too. They just don't see eye-to-eye all the time. Sometimes I think his father sees who he wants to see and not who Erwin really is."

Levi's eyes narrowed slightly at Miche's words, feeling intrusive by being given this information. 'It's paranoia,' he told himself, 'over the whole identity thing. It's not about you and your identity.'

"How can anyone not see who Erwin really is?" he found himself asking. "He's very confident about himself."

Miche laughed out loud at Levi's words, startling Gunther who had been napping. He lifted a hand in silent apology, then met Levi's eyes with a sparkle in his own. "Oh, yes. He can be _very_ confident, when he _wants_ to be."

Levi frowned. He decided to settle on the ideology that Prince Erwin was very confusing. "He's a complex man."

"We all are." Miche replied with ease, as if this were a fact he had discovered about mankind a long time ago. He continued to gaze up at the ceiling of the shop, his eyes tracing the criss-crossing path of the wooden beams that created the framework of the building. He knew Levi was watching him in silence, the prince's silver eyes probably scanning over his cheek and nose, around his facial hair and back up towards his eyes. He turned his face so that he met Levi's eyes directly and his full lips curved up in a smile. "Man would do anything for freedom, Prince Levi. It's what makes us so complicated."

Levi nodded. He said nothing but his eyes seemed to communicate a million emotions to Miche; relief, concern, interest, and admiration. He opened his mouth to say something, a small sound coming out of his throat and causing his voice to crack.

"Prince Levi," Carla called out to him, breaking his thoughts. He turned to look at her as she requested his assistance. "Could you come here, please?"

Levi turned back to face Miche and the enamor in his eyes was gone. All at once, the thing that he seemed so intent to say was gone, and Miche was left on his own to wonder what it could've been.

* * *

Carolina had asked Carla to take care of Levi for dinner that night as they returned to the castle grounds. She knew it would raise the prince's suspicions, but she wanted to catch Miche before he had a chance to disappear. She told Levi that she was tired after going into the city for the day, and at her age she wasn't exactly lying to him. Still, she exaggerated the truth only so she could use this as an excuse to sneak away and managed to find Miche before he had gotten too far from the carriage. She called out to him, asking him to accompany her to the courtyard to gaze up at the stars that were just starting to appear in the sky.

"How is he?" she asked immediately as they fell into a slow walk. "Prince Levi, I mean." she clarified in response to Miche's confused expression.

"He's fine. I think he's fine."

"He was quite upset this morning. As if he had something heavy on his mind."

"Oh? I wasn't aware."

"Are you sure? I think you might know _something_ , Miche. That look you gave me in the carriage earlier today-"

"You read into that?" Miche asked, cutting her off. He had deep respect for Carolina, so it was odd for him to rush his reply to her so suddenly.

"Naturally" Carolina replied, "I didn't become an old maid just scrubbing floors. The castle has secrets, they whisper to all the servants eventually."

Miche nodded, allowing her to scold him. "I know. I didn't mean anything by it." he amended, referring to his previous comment.

"And the look?"

"He was obviously very shy." Miche shrugged, "It doesn't really mean much."

Carolina nodded slowly, deciding on her next words with care. "It's almost...well, I'm not suggesting anything, Captain, but he behaves most unusual for royalty."

"Aren't you?" Miche retorted, stopping in his tracks and glaring at Carolina. He lowered his voice to a harsh whisper, "Are you suggesting he's _not_ a prince?"

Carolina gave Miche a look that implored that he behaved less suspiciously. "I'm just saying that he doesn't sound at all like the Prince we were to expect. He's a very polite young man that sympathizes with civilians and doesn't seem entirely acquainted with nobility most of the time. Do you remember what he looked like when he first arrived, long-haired and shaggy? I confess I did a little digging in the archives yesterday for those letters we received a week before about the kids and-"

Miche's eyes narrowed further. "I remember what he looked like because _I_ pulled him out of that carriage." he hissed, growing frustrated. "He's just _different_ , Carolina, just different. Maybe he was abused in Sina? He's obvious witnessed enough of it to understand what was wrong with that family."

Carolina bit her lower lip as she listened to Miche, her sympathy towards the young prince made her feel foolish for making such a big deal out of his identity. But Miche's reasoning caused her to steel her sympathies and give him a hard stare. "We don't _know_ that Miche," she stated, "What happens when his family arrives?"

Miche opened his mouth to reply but no words came out. He fell silent and a look of worry appeared in his eyes. Carolina nodded, taking a step towards him.

"We might have just prepared him for his own funeral." she whispered.

Miche's hand jumped to the sword hilt at his side and his fingers tightened around it instinctively. "I _wouldn't_ let that happen." he whispered.

"You would go _that_ far?" Carolina pressed, her voice and expression full of shock.

"Captain Miche!"

The servant and guard stepped apart to find Captain Hanji approaching them, his wild brown hair swinging wildly in its long ponytail.

"Hanji." Miche greeted him.

"I need to brief you on the council." Hanji announced, grinning up at him. "You won't believe what we decided to do!"

"Nothing?" Miche asked sarcastically.

"Oh whoa! You got it!" Hanji grinned.

"Are you for real?" Miche asked, raising an eyebrow. "All day and that's the decision?!"

"Not. At. All." Hanji smirked, "Come, I'll give you the details with Nanaba."

Miche nodded. He turned to face Carolina and answered her last question by giving her one deliberate nod, letting the answer silently but effectively end their conversation on prince Levi. "Good night, Carolina." he told her, then turned and headed back into the castle with Hanji.

Carolina watched the guards head inside for a moment before she looked up to the turret that was Prince Levi's bedroom. The windows weren't entirely closed and from the angle that she stood at the shutters blocked her view into the room but still allowed the light from the candles burning inside to be seen. She could envision what Levi was doing right now: probably cleaning up for bed, talking to Carla about the ball or Erwin, or just closing his eyes and burrowing under his warm blankets to sleep. He was kind and empathetic. And the changes that he had brought to Rose Kingdom, the glow he had brought back into their own blonde prince, was obvious. 'You would go that far for him?' she repeated to herself, thinking back on Miche's solitary and immediate answer. "I would." she whispered to herself, not entirely surprised that she felt the same way about protecting him.

* * *

Miche was tired, but not yet exhausted. To have a long day start with council, and then be taken all around town only to return for _more_ council felt almost abusive. He had initially thought he would be more tired than if he had run on the wall with Prince Erwin all day, but he was surprised to find he was rather restless after all the meetings. He had shared a bottle of wine with Hanji and Nanaba as they explained how the rest of the council session had gone, informing him how King Smith decided to do nothing with the finds of the investigation until after speaking with King Zackly. Then Miche had headed to his own room to retire for the night. It was when he was passing by the north-east staircase that he doubled back and headed towards Prince Erwin's door instead. He rapped his knuckles on the door in their secret-coded knock and waited for Erwin to whisper his name, before grunting and being let in.

"Let's go for a walk on the wall." he suggested.

"No, let's...just stay here for now." Erwin mumbled in response. "There's something I want to show you."

Miche stepped further into Prince Erwin's large room. He headed over to the desk and pulled out the chair, taking a seat and settling in. "Alright, show me."

"Here."

Erwin followed him to the desk and pulled open the second drawer from the bottom. From inside he pulled out a small wooden plaque from one of the birch trees higher in the mountains, which he handed over to Miche to examine. On the top-side, which Miche found out immediately was the backside, there was nothing. But on the reverse side, there was a well-done carving of Prince Levi, leaning against the helm of the Eleanor. Miche traced his fingers across the smooth wood that was carved to emulate Levi's cheek, his own eyes narrowing as he tried to understand Erwin's motivation for the plaque.

"It's beautiful, Erwin."

"I know."

"Are you gonna give it to him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"It's...for me. I had it made by Furlan for me."

"That shiprat?" Miche teased.

"He's a good carver, being a carpenter and all. I had Levi hold the pose long enough for him to pen it onto the wood and the rest he did yesterday. He finished it today. I...paid him for it."

Miche was still analyzing the plaque as Erwin spoke, then gently tucked it back into the desk drawer and pushed the drawer back into place. He sighed, running a hand across his forehead, then looked up at Erwin.

"Why?"

Erwin shuffled uncomfortably. "I-" he began, then changed his words, "I'm going to miss him, when he's gone back to Sina, and-"

"You _like_ him, don't you?"

Erwin looked away, acting out of character.

Miche nodded, "You _do_. You just don't want to say it because of your father."

Erwin frowned, "I like _men_ , Miche." he admitted, then added in a softer voice, "But you already knew that, _didn't_ you?"

Miche smiled and nodded, then rubbed at his nose with the back of his hand. "I knew since we became men, Erwin." he confessed, "But I don't think otherwise of you for it. Levi's a man, and he intrigues you. He's what you value: kindness, humour, a lover of learning and nature and freedom. If anyone were open to the idea, they could see the affection the two of you display for each other quite easily."

Erwin sat on his bed, sighing heavily but smiling despite his frustration. "If only I could have been arranged to _him_ instead of Lana, then it wouldn't be so complicated."

"Then just ask him instead." Miche shrugged. "You're going to be the next king of Rose Kingdom. You can't just marry a princess to appease your father."

"And have a child out of wedlock?"

"Appoint another heir? Have a surrogate? Laws change when people make change, Erwin. You know this."

Erwin looked down again. Miche knew he would have to push Erwin more if he was going to convince him to not miss his opportunity.

"It's not even about that, is it?" Miche stated calmly, "It's not about the children or the marriage. You're afraid of _him,_ aren't you? You're just afraid to tell Levi you fell for him."

Erwin nodded, then looked up at Miche with tired eyes. "I've never had it this bad for someone before." he confessed. He motioned to the desk with his hand, "I haven't ever paid Furlan to do that for anyone else before." He was silent for a moment before he confessed his main reason to withhold from telling Levi, "What if he doesn't feel the same? What if...he's not even _gay_?"

Miche smirked, recognizing this shy and under-confident side of Erwin that the prince kept hidden away. He stood up, then came over to wrap his arms around Erwin, reassuring him. "You'll be alright. Even if he isn't gay, or if he doesn't feel the same, Levi _cares_ about you. His answer would be honest to free you from this state of anxiety over telling or not telling him. Besides, you can't hide from it and pretend it all goes away. Would you rather he leaves and you never find out the truth? What if he did care and was just as scared about telling you as you are of telling him right now? At least if you talk to him about it, you will have your answer, Prince Erwin."

Erwin nodded. Miche had always seemed the wise one in regards to relationships since the girl he was courting had passed away when they were nineteen. He reached out and embraced Miche in return, glad that he was able to be free with him and grateful for his best friend's compassion, then nodded again.

"I just...I guess I need to let him know then." he whispered.


	9. Chapter 9

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 9: March, 19th

The entire castle seemed to have come alive over night. All the servants were awake very early to make sure the castle and its grounds were spotless. The grand hall was closed for preparations, and the backyard was made off limits. Levi was surprised when he woke up that he had been able to sleep through the night; anxiety for today's ball was the first thing he had thought of and he wondered how it didn't interrupt his sleep. Perhaps the alcohol he had consumed had help him sleep soundly through the night? Or perhaps he was simply exhausted from exploring Rose Kingdom yesterday?

He got up and used his crutch to make it to the bathroom, focused on regaining back his independence, and found Carla drawing up the bath for him. He sat in the corner chair as she worked, asking her about the arrival of the items from their shopping trip yesterday. She seemed tired but was still eager to speak to him, excited about the night's event. He asked if she was going to attend with Eren, and she replied that Prince Erwin had requested that her family got to come as guests, not staff. Levi was pleased by this answer, but said little more on the subject; he didn't want to begin asking about Prince Erwin before the ball since he felt that would appear much too clingy. Still, he had many questions regarding the fair prince and he hoped that if he could obtain any answers it would help calm him down. He wouldn't admit it to himself, but for some unexplainable reason he felt nervous to see him later tonight.

He spent longer than usual in the warm bath, letting the water run down his shoulders and between his toes as he lifted his feet in the air. He sighed happily, running his fingers through his hair and then sinking himself low enough to submerge his hair in the water behind himself. The warm water kissed his skin and held him, cleaned him, and made him reflect on Rose City; immaculate, grand, virtuous, and pure. He breathed deeply, fully, and sighed in total relaxation. Tonight, and just for tonight, he decided he would put aside his worries and fears for his old and new identities and simply be. Whatever happened would happen, and he would do his best to react appropriately to it, but he was not going to hide parts of himself, or adapt himself, to anything that he wasn't. If he wanted to laugh or smile or dance or even run away from it all, he would allow himself to have his real, authentic emotions, and react freely, without heavily monitoring himself and limiting his behaviour.

Carolina came in when the water had cooled down several degrees to trim his hair and make sure he was neat and tidy. For the first time in his life he was shaved from cheeks to chin, and he glowed with an odd pride that came from transitioning from boy to man. Instead of dressing in the bathroom, as he usually did, she wrapped him in a house robe and made they made their way back to his room, leaving the crutch behind in the bathroom. For the first time since the attack, Levi put weight on his foot and hadn't dropped to the floor out of pain. There was still a dull ache, but it no longer stung him to step on and he was able to walk without limping.

"You can't stop smiling." Carolina stated, watching him as she fussed around in his room, untying several boxes that were waiting for them on the side table.

"I can walk." Levi replied, unable to hide the joy in his voice.

"Yes, you can!" Carolina replied, then came over and ushered him to take a seat in the chair so she could begin to dry his hair. She only stopped grooming him when Carla arrived with his breakfast; baked peach rings over a circle of roasted oats, drizzled with maple syrup collected from the trees in the fields outside, and fresh vanilla yogurt, with a large cup of maple tea.

"Unusual to have breakfast in a bedroom, no?" Levi asked.

Carla smiled, "Everything's being rearranged downstairs. You'll have to excuse-"

"It's alright." Levi replied with a smile. "I just feel spoiled."

Carla giggled, "Yes, I suppose you would, Prince."

"Really Carla, I'm not _that_ special." he teased her.

Carolina smacked his shoulder lightly, giving him the same humourous glare she gave Miche whenever she disapproved of under-confidence.

"Eat up," Carolina instructed him, "There's not going to be another meal until dinner."

"It's just a ball." Levi rolled his eyes, "No need to get all worked up over it."

"He says royal events are nothing to get worked up over and that he's not that special." Carla repeated, hiding her laugh behind her hand, "What an odd little Prince."

"Quiet Carla." Carolina sighed, hoping that she could silence her daughter on the topic of Levi's status. "Has the blacksmith been by?"

"Yes, I saw him delivering to Miche earlier."

"Go fetch it, please."

"Yes, mother."

Levi watched the two work in silence, feeling Carolina combing through his damp hair as he finished up his peach rings. Carolina said nothing to break the silence, preferring to focus on doing each task one at a time, rather than attempt to multitask and lose focus on the job at hand. With careful, precise movements, she cleaned under his fingernails and pushed back his cuticles, then placed his hands in small bowls of lavender water for several minutes. Then she returned to his hair, making sure to wash it with sage and almond oil, before drying it again. She combed, then brushed his hair again, making him roll his eyes at the amount of effort she was putting him through.

"Carolina, isn't this a bit _much_?" Levi asked, asking for a small break before she started on his face.

"All the nobles are arriving for this ball, except your family. They were supposed to come the week after the ball, because of Lana's trial period. So you have to look good for our guests to represent your family."

Levi nodded and sighed, "But can't I just appear as I normally do?"

"You sound like Prince Erwin when he was your age." she laughed.

Levi's eyes lit up and he turned to face her. "Really?"

"Yes, he never liked having to be 'so cleaned up,' as he put it. Always made a fuss. But he grew into it when he began wanting to impress the guests, if you catch my drift."

Levi's eyes widened and then he burst into laughter. "What a sleazy _bastard_!" he gasped between chuckles.

Carolina watched him with her mouth wide open, then began to laugh herself. "I- I suppose so." she giggled, "But then again, you _are_ young – still a boy. You might become a 'sleazy bastard' yourself one day." she teased in a very motherly way.

Levi bit his lower lip as he mulled over her words. His silver eyes travelled upwards to take in the face in the mirror, gazing at his own face and trying to pick out attractive traits; his eyes were bright and youthful, but it was his lips that he thought could really impress suitors. "Why wait?" He asked with a shrug, suddenly not so adverse to the idea of being sexy. "I'm not a boy. Doll me up then, Miss Carolina. I want to tease Prince Erwin with how handsome I am."

Carolina paused in coming to continue her work and then burst into laughter. "Oh, Prince Levi," she gasped, "When you return to your kingdom, I am going to miss you. Very much."

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time Carolina had finished with Levi's hair and face. She had carefully prepared his face as if it were a pristine canvas, then had her daughter Carla come and curl his lashes with a candle flame and then rim his eyes with black coal. To finish off the look they had wanted to paint his lips a darker shade of red, but he rejected the colour, expressing his desire for a more natural tone. After much discussion in which pink, red, beige, and a pale lilac were all too different compared to his unique skin tone, they settled on only putting on a light layer of clear, smooth lip butter. It was enough to shine his lips and offer a sugary, full appearance to them, which Levi found to be quite tempting, but it was not so bold as to make him feel painted. He hated to admit it, but the makeup did make him appear more mysterious in a sense, and he hoped in that way it made him more alluring. He knew it was stupid to let himself follow the feelings he had in his heart and not the thoughts in his head, but he had already decided that he would drop his filters for the day and surrender himself to enjoying the party that he was ultimately forced into attending. He kicked himself and considered himself blessed at the same time; at least he was attending as the prince and not as Lana's servant.

Levi rose and stretched his legs, walking around the room several times to relieve himself after sitting for so long. Carolina insisted that they kept the door closed, so he took the opportunity to pull open both of the windows. The shutters slid away into the walls easily, filling the room with sunlight and making the place suddenly much brighter and warmer. The sun was already beginning to set and a gentle breeze threatened to turn chilly, but the air was full of the scents of spring. Levi grinned at Carolina, then turned his face up and let the sun kiss his cheeks.

"It's beautiful," he stated, not letting her tell him to get away from the window. "I just want to feel the sun. It reminds me of the ships, with Erwin."

Carolina smiled and came to lean against the windowsill with him. "He gave you his sea-bug, huh?" she teased.

Levi could only smile.

"Carolina!"

Levi and Carolina turned back to look down below to the castle courtyard, then waved down at Miche who was waving up at them from below.

"Do you have any spare time?" he called up.

"Oh, would you tell him to come on up. I don't want to shout." Carolina told Levi.

Levi laughed, "Come on up, Captain!"

Miche's lips stretched into a wide grin and he headed towards the main doors of the castle. In seconds he was at the door, his uniform sticking to him with sweat. He placed a small box on the side table, next to the vanity that Levi had been seated in front of for most of the afternoon.

"Apparently," He began, his voice a humourous level of annoyance, "I need a trim."

Levi burst into laughter and motioned for Miche to take the chair he was tormented in earlier. "My face isn't set yet, so you might as well distract her now." he told him. The two shared a grin of frustration, much preferring their natural, and more rugged, appearances. "I take it you're in attendance as well then." Levi pressed.

Miche sighed and sat down heavily, then waved off the towel Carolina went to drape around his shoulders. "No need, this uniform needs to be washed anyways. I'll take a shower afterwards." he turned to face Levi, "Ah, yes. I'll be on duty as Prince Erwin's bodyguard, but I will still be there. And expected to be 'ceremonial.'" he rolled his eyes, "Not too short, Carolina, my dear."

"I know how you like your bangs." Carolina teased. "I'm the one who cut them since birth."

Levi lay on his bed, watching Carolina set to work on Miche. He wanted to ask Miche some questions, but he knew it would probably make the man want to look at him, which would ruin his haircut. He sighed, annoyed that he had been confined to his room until the ball.

"The first guests have arrived." Miche informed then, his head bowed forwards so that Carolina could clean up his neck.

"So soon!" Carolina commented.

"It's almost time for the official start." Miche countered, "I'd say they were just being punctual."

"I'm amazed that anyone is attending, with the politics and all." Levi commented.

Miche snorted, "You have a point there. But that's the whole issue with this Kingdom feud, everyone's looking to see if we alliance or not and plan to make a decision regarding the fate of their kingdom after us."

"So this will make or break a war?" Levi asked, suddenly understanding why Erwin had skipped around his questions regarding the ball. "Even if he doesn't get engaged?"

"It's not so much about a marriage, just a union." Miche mumbled, "But a wedding is always a little more permanent."

"And traditional." Carolina added.

"With all the glamour it almost feels like I'm getting married." Levi lamely joked, mocking the fact that it was still seen as such a big deal.

Carolina rolled her eyes and Miche chuckled. "Maybe you are." he teased, then glanced up at Carolina as Levi's cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. Carolina smiled at him in silent response, then leaned down to place the blades of the scissors near his mustache.

"I got it from here, Carolina!" Miche briskly stated, rising up. "A man can take care of his own mustache at the least."

Levi smirked at Miche's words but said nothing otherwise. He himself was still young, so shaving had not become an entire routine for him just yet. It was only today that he had ever started to shave, and he had noticed afterwards when he had seen his face in the mirror again that he had begun to develop patches of fine, light stubble along his jaw line and at the corners of his lips since his skin was smooth and lighter there after shaving.

Once Miche had left, Levi began to get dressed. He had gotten new shoes when they had went into town, so today he pulled on the tight black pants before lacing up the ankle-high, flat-heeled, black leather boots. He sat for a moment, admiring how they wrapped around his feet. Carolina smiled approvingly at the shoes, then began to fuse over his torso, tightening a male corset over his waist to correct his posture and keep his figure decent for a man his age.

"You don't need it, you're fit enough – and dare I say underweight – but it would be noticeable if you were to go without it."

Levi nodded, finding the corset not as unbearable as Lana made it sound; perhaps it was because he was naturally slimmer than her? Or maybe women just had more to tuck in or push up? He shook off the thoughts. Next he was buttoned into a long black dress-shirt that extended to his thighs, before a charcoal grey, tailcoat-vest was added on top. He tied on his own royal purple ascot, tucking it into the vest and pinning it just below his throat with the Smith family jewel. The suit was designed to make him seem well–groomed and modern, two traits that Rose Kingdom thrived on. To complete the suit, Levi was given a coat the colour of the ascot, with a slim waist and smooth, pressed collar. Below the waist, the coat had three layers of ribboned fabric, giving him a small but masculine skirt that covered the grey tails of the vest. Levi thought it was rather heavy and very decorative, but he hadn't been able to convince them otherwise in the tailors yesterday. He had tried to convince them to allow him to wear a top hat at the least, to offset the skirt as much as he could, but they had denied him that as well for the purpose of the crown.

Miche had brought the crown with him when he had come for the haircut, having taken the delivery from the blacksmith earlier that morning. Carolina took it out of the box carefully, making sure not to leave her fingerprints on the fine yellow gold, before placing it on Prince Levi's head. The crown was a full golden circle, with five points where it extended upwards in a star-inspired design. Each star was the same design, with a depiction of the heavens carved into their shapes. The gold band itself was thick, polished, and held three large diamonds between each star, and a bold green jewel at the base of every star. Overall, the crown was clearly designed for both attention and authority, and gave a clear indication that Levi was a descendant from the universal heaven. Levi felt much older and responsible wearing it, and it caused him to ask a question of Carolina,

"What happened to my old crown?"

"Oh, my dear." Carolina began, biting her lower lip. "We couldn't retrieve them." she settled on telling him.

He frowned; so they burned or were still stuck in the wreck of the carriage. After a moment he nodded, then smiled at her, deciding it didn't matter anyways. Both crowns were never his in the eyes of the law.

"Wait right here." Carolina replied, "And I'll come and escort you down when it is time."

Levi nodded, sitting at the vanity again. He stared at his face for a long time in the mirror, then glanced down at the small tub of crimson red lip paint. He debated what Erwin would think of his lips painted such a luscious red: would they tempt him or disturb him? He reached out and held the tub between his two fingers, then brought it close to his face and inhaled the fragrance it gave off: roses. 'How common,' he thought, placing the tub down on the vanity again. To impress Erwin he figured it would be better to smell like the sea than a flower the kingdom was named after.

He returned to staring at his own face, admiring his darkly-rimmed eyes. The sclera of his eyes were brighter, and the silver of his irises glimmered radiantly, contrasted against the black coal. He watched the corners of his lips pull upwards as he felt flattered by that fact. The black coal also served to make his ebony hair appear shinier, healthier, and accentuated the angles in his face. He noticed the sky behind him in the mirror was now a vivid shade of blue and many stars had already come out, which made him feel somehow connected the ball in a greater way. With the arrival of the stars, he too would arrive at the ball, just as his crown symbolized.

He headed to the window and pulled one of the large shutters closed. In the courtyard below he could see the fashionably-late nobles, most of which were getting out of carriages and having their horses cared for by the stable staff. Even Ness and the small staff he was overseeing were dressed rather elegantly tonight. His thoughts drifted over to Venus for a moment, and he wondered how Levi-the-colt was doing right about now, but Carolina's hand wrapping around his wrist woke him from his thoughts.

"Come my prince," she urged him, "Let's head down to the ball."

* * *

Levi reluctantly drew away from the window, then sighed heavily and let all emotion leave his face. He turned to face her, drinking in her sudden change of appearance. The old woman had her hair elegantly curled and pinned in an admirable up-do, with several tendrils left hanging to frame her aged face. She had changed out of her usual dull-coloured dresses into a soft purple gown with puffed shoulders and long, fitted sleeves. Her accent jewelry was pearls; pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and even a belt of pearls sewn to the waist of the dress. To complete the look she had painted her lips a soft pink, giving her a smidge of colouring that would include her in the throng of nobility.

"Miss Carolina!" Levi gasped, "You look wonderful!"

The old maid blushed and waved a hand at the prince. "Oh, my boy." she whispered, flattered. "Thank you!"

Together, they headed to the door. Levi made it down the stairs with the help of the railing, shadowed by Carolina should he need the help. He was thankful his shoes had no heels, which the tailor had insisted for nobility but was rejected by Carla due to his injured foot. It was loud and bright downstairs, and he looked around in awe; the entrance hall was full of people all dressed in immaculate fashion and expensive jewelry. Despite himself, he suddenly felt underdressed and immediately understood why Carolina had insisted that he wore several thin chains of gold along one of his shoulders and a length of gold around his waist. Everywhere around himself people were grouped together, talking in fake voices and drinking the champagne being passed around by the elegantly uniformed kitchen staff.

King Smith was quick to come to his rescue, leading him towards the grand courtroom. He was wearing immaculate robes of an emerald green, and once more he wore a belt of gold. This belt was made of circles of gold connected together, so that folds of his emerald material was looped through the golden hoops and held in an elaborate display of elegance, riches, and indulgence. His fingers were adorned with gold rings, various brightly coloured gemstones, and pearls, and his heavy chain of kingship was once again around his neck. He placed a heavy hand on Levi's shoulder, before steering the boy through the largely populated room.

To one side of the room, an orchestra was arranged to play music for the night, and in the area before them, taking up most of the room, was a large area to dance, which some of the earlier-arrived guests had taken up. King Smith took Levi with him from group to group, introducing him as the Prince of Sina Kingdom many times over. Each time he forced himself not to outwardly cringe and instead smile, glad that he had the opportunity to test his handshake with Erwin days earlier. Each time he was introduced he noticed the people said mostly the same things: 'condolences for your loss,' 'my, you're so young,' 'what a fine young man,' and his personal favorite, 'oh he looks nothing like what we expected from Lana's brother!' To the people that said that last remark, he could see a dark look cross King Smith's face before he gave a fake laugh and made some witty comment about genetics that threw the commenter off. Levi wondered if King Smith's reaction was the reason he enjoyed those comments the best or if it was simply the genuine difference in how appreciated he was over Princess Lana.

"Prince Levi," King Smith sighed the moment they had broken away from yet another small group, "I am so sorry for those...coattails that think you should meet their expectations."

Levi smirked, surprised by the King's attitude towards him. He was sure that King Smith didn't fully trust him since the dinner with the council, however he wasn't dumb enough to question the King's protection. "It's quite alright." he replied politely, "You're not the one saying it."

King Smith nodded briskly, glad that Levi so easily accepted his apology. He looked around and then spotted another group further back. He smiled at the man in the group and then took Levi over to introduce him to them as well. Levi was beginning to wonder how many people in the room was left that he hadn't been introduced to when a lady with striking blonde hair and bright blue eyes caused him to stop in his tracks and shut his mind down entirely. She was wearing a pale green dress with a ribboned sweetheart neckline and had her fair, golden hair twisted in elegant braids behind her head, where it hung open to her waist in a gentle point.

He opened his mouth to speak, surprised by how young the girl appeared, and then fell silent as he noticed the round green jewel that rested on her sternum.

The king noticed his reaction and chuckled at his side. He placed a hand against the small of Levi's back and gently pushed him forwards, guiding him towards the beautiful blonde woman.

"Prince Levi, this is my daughter, Elaina." King Smith introduced him.

Levi took Princess Elaina's left hand and kissed the back of it, surprised that Prince Erwin even had a sister. He had never mentioned her in their brief time together, but he was relieved to know why he was so suddenly stricken by her; she had reminded him so much of her brother.

"Princess Elaina," he said, keeping his voice warm and professional. He took the opportunity to notice the ring around her third finger: already engaged.

The princess blushed at Levi's gentleman-action, her eyes flitting to her father's and then back to Levi. "Prince Levi," she giggled, her voice a soft gentle coo compared to prince Erwin's deep tenor.

"And who is the lucky groom?" he asked, making it clear that he was not overstepping any political boundaries or coming across as flirting.

Elaina giggled, reaching out to touch the arm of the woman next to her, wearing an elegant suit of a dark green shade, with a train of pink lace sewn to the suit jacket. "Princess Isle, of the Maria Kingdom."

Levi reached out and shook Princess Isle's hand, trying to control his reaction so that he didn't appear taken aback by the fact that Prince Erwin's sister was publically homosexual. He had encountered some stable boys and a cook in Sina Kingdom that were homosexual, but none of them were ever open about it. Now that he was made aware of it, he was suddenly startled with the questions that came to his mind: was he himself homosexual? Well, he had never openly entertained the thought to himself, but he supposed he wasn't strictly opposed to it. Had he known he was open to it before or was he only discovering it now? Well, he was certainly open to it since as long as he could remember, but progressively more openly since he had met a certain prince recently.

Princess Isle smirked, as if she was reading his thoughts directly.

"We've heard quite a lot about you." she began, snapping him back from his thoughts. "The bratty attitude, I mean."

Levi managed to contain his emotions; apparently Isle was not a woman afraid to speak her mind. She was direct and had more guts to say what was on her mind than most men. He could respect that.

"I'm sure I'll prove you otherwise." he politely deflected her remarks. "I'm sorry to say I can't say the same about knowing anything about you and your fiancée though; I had no idea Prince Erwin even had a sister, let alone is engaged to the Princess of Maria."

Isle laughed, the sound musical with a rough edge to it. "Elaina lives at Maria Castle with me, so naturally you wouldn't have seen us around."

"It's a wonder they haven't mentioned us though, perhaps they wanted to surprise you?" Elaina added.

Levi nodded. He had barely noticed King Smith had left him with the Maria couple in favor of another conversation a short distance away. "Perhaps." he agreed.

"I'm Erwin's only sibling though, younger by four years. But I suppose it's been quieter since I've been gone."

"Really? I thought you were my age! How long have you two been engaged? If you don't mind me asking."

"Wow, you _are_ polite." Isle commented, "We met when Elaina was fifteen, she came to live in Maria Castle at sixteen, and we've been engaged since she turned seventeen."

"That's lovely." he commented, hoping he didn't sound fake. He wasn't sure how exactly to react, relationships were never really something he developed much enthusiasm nor understanding for. His words must have come across as genuine happiness since Elaina reached out and touched his wrist and gave him something that resembled Erwin's flashy smile.

"It was...definitely love at first sight." She cooed, releasing Levi to hold Isle's hand. "I was supposed to visit Castle Maria and learn some pointers on how to be a proper lady by Isle, could you imagine?"

Levi chuckled politely along with Elaina's musical giggle.

"Why in the world they thought Isle – _Isle_ – could teach me to be a proper lady is beyond me. But I was only supposed to stay for the summer and then return home for the fall ball – It would have been my seventeenth birthday in September and I was to choose my fiancé at the party."

"Instead, she turned down every suitor until her father was red in the face." Isle chuckled. "Her brother finally asked her if she already had someone in mind-"

"And I said you." Elaina finished, turning to face Isle as she spoke.

Isle released Elaina's hand to throw her arm around her shoulders, grinning at the memory. "And I said that it was not the right way to propose."

"And then you came to kneel in front of me in front of everyone and said-

"'This is the right way to propose.'" They both finished, then began to laugh.

Levi blushed, listening to their whirlwind romance. "That sounds breathtaking." He commented, "I'm sure everyone at the party was amazed by it."

"Of course father wasn't exactly _happy_ with our engagement initially," Elaina began to explain, "but Erwin supported our decision. He took it upon himself to convince father that it wasn't going to sink our kingdom to the ground."

"He's very sweet like that." Levi agreed, and before he knew it he was tricked into speaking about the prince easily. "I've only met him a few days ago, but Prince Erwin is very hospitable and his kindness is never ending."

Elaina glowed with pride for her brother. "He's told me about you when I arrived." she confessed with a small giggle, "All very good things."

Levi smirked, "I hope."

"No, honestly. He's very fond of you."

Levi blushed and Elaina gasped with surprise. "And you must be very fond of him too then!" she pressed.

Levi gave a nervous chuckle, unsure of how to react now that the conversation had come full circle. He looked to Isle for some help, but she just smirked at him and rubbed Elaina's shoulder, as if to encourage her to continue pressing him for an answer.

"Come now," Elaina pressed teasingly, "We both know that when you're in love with someone you can't stop talking about them." She hinted, rubbing Isle's back as she mentioned 'we.'

Levi's blush deepened. It was true; they had barely spoken about anyone or anything else besides each other since he began speaking to them. He realized he as well only really grasp their conversation once Erwin was mentioned. But, arguably, he hadn't been able to comment on their conversation much before: a relationship was really only open to comments from those involved in it.

He was saved from having to respond when Captain Hanji approached him and asked if he could steal Levi away for a moment.

"It's nothing to cause concern." he explained, then began leading Levi through the crowd. "Prince Erwin has asked Miche to fetch me to fetch you because he grew tired of waiting."

Levi chuckled at Hanji's explanation. "Are you serious?" he asked, surprised by the Prince's arrogance. "I am not his property, I wasn't even _aware_ he was waiting for me. _I_ was having a lovely conversation with his sister just now."

"You can explain that to him then." Hanji smirked, then stopped to bow in front of Erwin before taking his leave.

Erwin was waiting for Levi in front of the thrones at the head of the grand courtroom, three steps up from the rest of the room. He was dressed in a formal prince outfit, but with modern colors. Unlike Levi, and the most shocking part of his outfit, was Erwin's choice of footwear: vivid blue, three inch high, stiletto styled ankle boots. His suit was a dark shade of blue, that seemed to appear almost purple in the right amount of light, and was covered in golden filigree embroidery. His pants were dark black, with a line of the same blue fabric down the outer seam of each leg, and his coat had black cuffs on it. He also had gold chains on his outfit, crossing from one of his shoulders to the other, where it wrapped with several others to end just over his bicep. The chains across his chest hung loosely but accentuated the large green stone at his throat. His coat was buttoned up, and had a high collar on it, so he had no need for a tie. Adorning the top of his head a solid gold crown, designed with many leaves and roses embossed on it. It was not a full circle as Levi's was, ending just after each temple and leaving his golden blonde hair to sweep through the gap in the center. But what stopped Levi's heartbeat and caused him to become lost for words was the dark black coal that rimmed Prince Erwin's eyes. His fair golden lashes were long and curled, as Levi's had been, and the effect combined with the coal was breathtaking.

Erwin's eyes widened and his pupils contracted as he took in Levi's appearance. He rose to his feet immediately and reached out to take Levi's hand. "Prince Levi," he whispered his name, "You look...magnificent."

Levi felt his cheeks heat with a blush and bit his lower lip to try to keep from becoming too nervous. He anticipated being shy in front of Erwin during the ball, but he was surprised by how anxious he felt just meeting him. He realized that they had attracted the attention of most of the room and that his next words would be heard by more than the small audience he intended them for.

"You are very kind, Prince Erwin." he settled on saying as he reached out and placed his hand in Erwin's. He was unsure of if they were shaking hands or if Erwin planned to kiss his, so he continuing speaking, adding, "And very handsome tonight."

A few giggles were heard throughout the room, and Levi resisted turning around to see just how many eyes were on them. Erwin smiled a rare, shy, but genuine smile, one that Levi hadn't seen before and was quite different in comparison to his flashier persona. He surprised Levi by neither shaking, nor kissing his hand, and instead held it in a silent invitation, squeezing it with just his fingertips to ask him for a dance.

Levi felt pressured into following Erwin to the dance floor by the amount of eyes that were on him, amazed that so many people just accepted that two princes would dance together. He hadn't been trained to dance, as Len and Lana were often paired up in classes, so he wasn't sure if he could dance any part at all. Still, he hoped that being trained for the male steps would be a good enough excuse as to why he wouldn't know the steps to the dance if Erwin were to lead.

Erwin seemed well aware that Levi wouldn't know the steps of the dance, seemingly following his train of thought regarding the assumption Levi was trained for the male steps. He smiled warmly at Levi, whispering to him "Follow my lead."

Levi smiled and looked down, stepping forwards when Erwin stepped back. He wasn't sure if they were following any script at all now; any rhyme, reason, and role seemed to have stopped making sense to try to incorporate into their relationship, so they were blindly making it up as they went along - very much like this dance. They stayed in a traditional waltz box-step for a moment before Erwin began to guide them into taking larger steps and twisting under each other's arms so that they began to take up more of the floor. They seemed to orbit each other as they circled around the room at a steady pace, with Erwin guiding and supporting them, making sure that Levi's injury wasn't bothering him as they moved.

Slowly the people in the background began to blend away and Levi found himself laughing as he glanced up into the blonde prince's eyes. Erwin was looking down at him and smiling, holding Levi's hand tightly in his own as if he were afraid to let go of him. Levi wasn't aware that Elaina and Isle had joined them on the dance floor, along with King and Queen Smith and several other nobles. He had eyes only for Erwin, and found that he was squeezing Erwin's hand just as tightly in return. They spun around on the dance floor, unconsciously stepping closer and closer, caught in their own amazement to be held in the other's arms, until the music faded and Levi stopped and bowed in front of Erwin.

"That was a lovely dance." he complimented him, "And now I am thirsty."

Erwin chuckled, "Understandably." he nodded, then leaned in and whispered humourously, "It was several songs."

Levi smirked and took Erwin's offered arm, following him towards Miche, who stood where Erwin had left him, just in front of the thrones. Carolina stood with him, both of them speaking to each other but looking out like two guardians over the dance floor, making sure that the two princes were safe.

Miche tasted two flutes of champagne, then handed one each to a prince.

"You look dashing!" Levi complimented him before taking a sip of the bubbly champagne.

Miche was dressed in a black pants and white suit jacket, made in a similar but simplified fashion to Erwin's. Across his chest, he had a dark green sash, identifying him to the Smith household. His cutlass from yesterday was strapped to his waist, a tassel of green thread hanging from the hilt. His hair was neatly parted and combed, and his mustache was curled at the ends and held in place with some beeswax. He bowed to Levi in reply to the compliment.

"Many thanks, young Prince."

Levi rolled his eyes. "Why must you be so formal?"

Miche snorted, "Public and all."

Erwin chuckled, wrapping an arm around Levi's waist. "Then let's escape the public. Carolina, please inform my father that I took Prince Levi to walk in the gardens."

Carolina nodded and Levi was surprised that she did as she was told without a fuss. Miche nodded at Erwin and shadowed him, following him and Levi at a short distance to allow them to have some privacy.

Levi drank some more champagne from his second glass, trying to figure out if he liked the sweetness or not. Erwin led them away from the heart of the party and towards the back of the castle, where the gardens were lit up with garlands of paper lanterns, all strung overhead. There were small basins with fires burning in them at every intersection of the garden, and already several other nobles were walking out here arm-in-arm.

"Are you enjoying the party, Prince Levi?" Erwin asked, his voice tainted with sarcasm.

Levi rolled his eyes. "It's wonderful. I'm have a really good time."

"I was just worried. You seemed irritated meeting all those guests."

Levi frowned, but the expression seemed comical, like he had been caught doing something wrong. "You were watching me?" He questioned.

"I was very bored. You honestly didn't see me lounging in the throne?"

Levi looked up at Erwin and raised his eyebrow. "Lounging?" he questioned, "At least _I_ was being a proper prince and speaking to guests, not lounging."

"Ah, well," Erwin playfully pat Levi's head with his palm, "they must all be new to you. I've grown bored with their usual conversations: 'you've grown taller,' 'you're so handsome,' 'are you engaged or has anyone caught your eye.'" He rolled his own eyes, "Ah, well, with your height, I can forgive you for not seeing me over the tops of everyone else's heads."

"Bastard!" Levi pulled his arm out from Erwin's. He considered throwing his champagne on him playfully but figured it would be too insulting. He took Erwin's glass instead and downed it, handing him back the empty flute.

Erwin looked at the empty glass and then back at Levi in shock. "You just drank-" he began.

Levi began laughing, "Your face." he chuckled, attempting to explain why he was laughing so much.

"Now who's being the proper prince?" Erwin teased.

"You started it." Levi smirked, finishing off his own glass of champagne as well.

"We'll just leave them here, I guess." Erwin mumbled, leaving the empty glasses on a small ledge on the short garden wall. His smile of surprised amusement remained on his face.

Miche nodded approvingly.

They began to pace at the front of the garden, not yet entering it but still close to the group of nobles that had come here for privacy too.

"So, what did you think of my sister?" Erwin asked, bracing himself for the answer right away.

Levi chuckled, "I thought she was very beautiful." he admitted, "I was honestly lost for words when I first saw her."

Erwin smirked, then tugged Levi's hand so that the smaller prince could look up and see that he pouted very deliberately. Levi was going to reply when he was distracted by Erwin's pout and reached up to touch a fingertip to Erwin's lower lip, "Are you...wearing lip paint?" he asked, surprised.

"I might be." Erwin teased, stretching up on his tiptoes and dodging Levi's hand.

"You are!" Levi gasped, then began to laugh. "Is it pink or red?"

"It's not pink, no." Erwin murmured shyly, hoping Levi would go back to talking about his sister.

"Bend down! You were wearing it this whole time?! God, I was so lost in your eyes I didn't even notice your lips!"

Miche chuckled lowly behind them and urged them to move forwards. "Your father's guests are starting to look this way, Prince Erwin."

Erwin blushed at Levi's words, his heart becoming warm as Levi mentioned being lost in his eyes, and he took Levi's hand to lead him further into the gardens and away from the castle. "It's just a light red." he murmured, hoping Levi would drop the entire conversation.

"It's beautiful. You look like your sister."

"Don't be mean, I'm no lady!" Erwin protested.

"No." Levi rolled his eyes, "I meant, the lip paint looks stunning on you! And asides that, you look like your sister."

Miche chuckled behind them, amused by their very confusing conversation. He assumed the many drinks Erwin had waiting to see Levi had a helping hand in how jumpy their conversation was.

"Oh," Erwin mumbled, "I guess so."

Levi chuckled, "You are breathtakingly handsome too, you know." he teased, hoping to pull Erwin out of the self-conscious lull he seemed to have fallen in.

"Did I make you lose your words too?" he asked, pouting and looking down at Levi with his clear blue eyes.

Levi felt lost for words gazing up at Erwin. In this moment he was disarmingly adorable and Levi wondered how he had managed to go from devilishly handsome to absolutely heart-wrenching adorable in a matter of seconds.

"Levi?" Erwin pressed him, saying his name in a soft voice.

"You just did now." he mumbled in reply, honestly dazzled by Erwin in the moment. He felt his body heat under Erwin's gaze and he realized that he wanted to do more with Erwin than just kiss, he wanted to do what he saw King Zackly do with the servant girls back home. He reached out numbly to take his hand. "I wanna go on your boat."

Erwin smiled and his eyes widened. "You wanna go sailing? Right now? It's dark out."

"We can just stay in the port." Levi shrugged. "Unless you'd rather go back inside? I always thought you took any excuse to go sailing." He made a point to look over Erwin's shoulder at the other noble couples coming closer to them to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"No, let's go to the ships." Erwin grinned, taking Levi's hand in both of his.

Miche opened his mouth to protest, having been given orders to keep the two princes at the party, but Levi and Erwin were already making their way to the ships. He followed along, trying to find a way to break through their conversation and ask them to head back to the castle, but once on the docks it was next to impossible to stop Erwin from becoming enamored by the sea.

"Furlan," he called out to the sailor, who was walking along the docks. "Ready the schooner."

Furlan turned at the sound of his name and then saluted Prince Erwin and nodded. He threw the toothpick he was chewing into the sea and then headed to find a small crew to prepare the ship.

"'The schooner?'" Levi question.

"It's a different vessel than my Eleanor. She's a brigantine."

"What's the difference?" Levi asked, following Erwin onto the schooner. The ships appeared similar to him.

"The sails riggings." Erwin easily answered, "Each way you put the sails on the ship changes how it's going to sail, makes it a different ship entirely. Schooners are typically not rigged with a boomed fore-aft sail from her fore mast."

Levi raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I'll just pretend I understand that."

Erwin laughed, "You will eventually."

"Prince Erwin, we shouldn't be leaving the docks." Miche broke in, stepping onto the ship as well.

Erwin turned and glanced at Miche, then turned away and ignored him. He took Levi's hand and led him to the front of the ship, bringing the conversation back to his sister.

"So what did you think of Elaina?" he asked again. "Besides the fact that she's beautiful."

"She...reminded me a lot of you." Levi shrugged, "And I said that and then we just...talked about you."

Erwin leaned his forearms against the ship rail and chuckled. "All good I hope."

Levi didn't reply right away, becoming distracted by the small crew of three others that Furlan had gather coming aboard and making the ship come to life. They hauled up the anchor, untied the ropes, and opened the sails to catch the night winds. The schooner began to move forwards, cutting through the water at a slow but steady pace. He looked around in awe, watching the sea reflect the stars; it was like they were sailing in the dark sky itself.

"Entirely good. Her fiancée made _me_ seem like the bad guy." he murmured, looking up and spinning around.

"Isle is like that." Erwin chuckled, coming to catch Levi as he got dizzy from the duel-motion of spinning around in circles as he was moved forwards by the ship. "I'm honestly hoping they hurry up and get married already."

"What's holding them off?"

"Me."

"You?" Levi raised an eyebrow.

"Father wants me married first."

"I see."

"I'm just glad Isle told me she doesn't want to bear any children."

"Why's that?"

"Because she also has a brother."

"I am...confused. So they aren't going to have any because he will?"

"If they have children as a couple, Elaina will bear it. They told me the plan is Isle's brother would sub-in to impregnate Elaina. I'm glad because then...I don't have to sleep with Isle in substitution of Elaina. I don't want to."

Levi chuckled, laughing at Erwin's fortunate circumstances. "It works out for you, I suppose." he mused, "But by that logic, you could always ask Elaina to bear you a child if you don't find a wife."

"Are you suggesting I sleep with my sister?" Erwin asked, amused by Levi's word choice.

"No." Levi laughed, realizing his indirect incestuous implication. "I meant that she could sub-in as a female version of you with...a man of your choice."

Erwin chuckle, and blushed. He reached out and placed his hand overtop Levi's.

Levi boldly pulled his hand out from under Erwin's and placed his hand on top. "But I think you would make a beautiful female all on your own." he purred.

Erwin blushed and rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm serious." Levi continued, "You even have the lip paint."

"Oh, c'mon, Levi. It's just a little bit of red."

Levi chuckled, "I think it looked really good on you."

Erwin bit his lower lip, honestly flattered that Levi was so determined to compliment his makeup.

Levi leaned against Erwin and looked up at him through his eyelashes, before boldly running his tongue along the edge of his upper teeth. "Don't you want to see if it would look good on me too?" he asked, dropping his voice to a seductive tone.

Erwin felt his blood become charged with desire and heat pooled in his groin. His body felt flushed and heated, and he found his throat felt constricted. He wanted to speak but he couldn't make any words. He nodded, then managed to say "But I don't have any with me."

Levi gave Erwin a wicked smile, then stretched up his tiptoes. He ignored the pain in his right foot as he extended his hand to caress Erwin's cheek and he whispered softly, "Yes you do," before pressing their lips together in a gentle but passionate kiss.

Erwin moaned softly against Levi's lips, his arms coming to wrap around his slender body and lift him right off his feet. He turned them around and pinned Levi against the foremast with his body, reaching down to squeeze Levi's thigh and guide him to wrap his legs around his waist. Levi threw an arm around Erwin's neck, gasping against his lips and kissing him passionately. They crossed their tongue through each other's mouths, moaning heavily at the taste of each other. Erwin groaned, closing his eyes and rubbing his crotch against Levi's, kissing him messily against the mast, hidden from the view of his crew.

"Not here." Levi gasped, turning his face so that he could speak.

Erwin simply continued kissing down his neck.

"Erwin, not here." he grumbled, "More private."

"Got it." Erwin mumbled.

He reluctantly pulled away and set Levi on his feet, before taking his hand and leading him to the captain's quarters under the poop deck with a sense of urgency. Miche rose from where he had seated himself on the main deck, meaning to follow them, but Erwin turned and shook his head, then closed the door to the quarters behind him.

"Here?" He asked Levi, his voice low and husky. He was already reaching out for him, desiring to touch him and kiss him again and again.

"Here's perfect." Levi gasped, Erwin's hands immediately brushing against his shoulders and tracing down his arms causing him to shiver, his lips already sucking at his neck causing him to swoon. "Erwin," he gasped, breathing his name.

Erwin led them through the quarters until they came to the ship's small bed. It was untidy and cramped, but neither of them seemed to mind. They began to discard each other's clothing as they headed over, Levi struggling to remove Erwin's jacket since his fingers were shivering with desire. Erwin chuckled and gently pushed Levi onto the mattress, then removed his jacket himself.

Levi gasped, giddy with excitement, and reached out to pull Erwin towards himself for another kiss.

"God, I just can't- Get enough- Of your lips." He whispered, pulling away to gaze into Erwin's bright eyes.

The blonde smiled and fumbled with his pants, before reaching down and beginning to unlace Levi's trousers. "I just- Can't get – Enough of you." he whispered, catching one of Levi's hands and bringing it to his lips to kiss.

Levi moaned, reaching down and finishing unlacing his pants himself. He pushed them down his hips and stepped one leg out of them, then teased Erwin by tracing along the blonde's leg with his bare foot.

Erwin shivered with excitement and growled lowly in the back of his throat. "Don't tease me, Levi." he pleaded, "You've teased me for days."

Levi chuckled and stroked himself, blatantly teasing Erwin some more. He sat up on his knees and began to kiss Erwin, reaching out and beginning to stroke the blonde. "Touch me," he gasped, taking his hand and guiding Erwin to stroke him, before wrapping an arm around Erwin's neck and continue to kiss him. He palmed the tip of Erwin's cock and smeared the precum down the shaft, increasing the pace he was stroking him at and groaning lowly as Erwin mirrored his actions.

"So good," he murmured, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Erwin growled softly and pulled his slender body closer, immediately kissing his neck and affectionately biting at his collarbones.

He was quieter than Levi was, breathing heavily and moaning softly whenever Levi cupped his balls with his hand or forced him to suck on his fingers. Levi was surprised by how quiet he was, but he couldn't keep from gasping his name himself. He held Erwin against his own body tightly, setting the pace for them and consistently kissing Erwin's shoulders as he listened for any sound of unease. Their bodies slipped against each other, becoming one; sharing the same heat, the same breath, the same fluids. Levi gasped and held Erwin close, running his fingers through his soft blonde locks and then grasping the strands and tugging gently. Erwin moaned, Levi hummed in a delight and repeated the gentle tugging action. "So good," he mumbled, losing himself in their rhythm.


	10. Chapter 10

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 10: March, 20th - Morning

Levi woke to the sounds of the ship's hull creaking as the ship swayed on the waters. He shifted to sit up before rubbing his eyes, and then looked down at the blonde prince who was curled up beside him in the ship's small bed. Prince Erwin's hair was a mess, his lashes full and his red lips still twisted in a smile. His breathing was steady and calm, and Levi found himself leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his lips. Erwin's fingers curled against the top of Levi's thigh gently in response, and he hummed softly in his sleep. Levi smiled, grateful that he had awoke to such a beautiful morning scene, then got out of bed to get dressed. His reflection in a small mirror on the wall startled him and he approached it as a second thought to check on his appearance. His hair had evidently been pulled and his lips were smeared with Erwin's red lip paint after all their passionate kissing. He blushed and rushed to wipe the paint off his face, neck, and collarbones. There was little he could do to fix his hair, even after ran his hands through it, so he had no choice but to put the golden crown back on his head before he headed onto the deck.

Miche was asleep in a hammock outside the quarter's doors, under one of the ship's staircases up to the poop deck, so Levi closed the door softly behind himself and headed onto the main deck. He was glad to have found the red-haired girl, Isabella, walking about and mopping the main deck down.

"Morning, Prince Levi." the girl cheerfully greeted him.

"Likewise, Isabella." he replied, "Any chance for breakfast on this ship?"

"It would be more like lunchtime now, your highness." She jested, then gave him a polite smile. "There's some fruit and a couple muffins in the galley. My apologies that the ship isn't well-stocked; we weren't aware that we'd be sailing her today, or for this long."

Levi chuckled, amused that he had upended Prince Erwin's navy schedule. "That's alright. Which way to galley?"

"I'll take ya."

Isabella escorted him to the galley, then diced up several fruit for him to eat. She informed him they had continued sailing in a wide arch for most of the night, until the early hours of the morning since they weren't sure when would be alright to stop sailing. Furlan had manned the wheel and he was unsure if he was to wait for Prince Erwin's orders to lay anchor or if they were expected to sail back to harbour. In the end, when he was exhausted himself and the princes were assumed to have gone to sleep in the captain's quarters, Furlan lay anchor, stationed two men for lookout, and took the other three below deck to sleep. Since she had been the only one to sleep through the first two shifts, Isabella woke early and began to run the regular checks and duties for the vessel's maintenance. After all this chatter, she left Levi to wake up Furlan and the crew below deck to serve them some breakfast as well, so the Sina prince took the bowl of fruit she had given him and two muffins out to the main deck and sat on a small crate to eat at the bow of the schooner. He had just settled into eat when the crew surprised him by pulling up the anchor and unfurling the sails. The schooner caught the wind and Furlan began to steer the ship in a wide arch back to the mainland.

"Did you bring enough for two?" Erwin asked, coming to stand beside him.

Levi looked up, the gentle breeze blowing his hair over one eye. "Do you want blueberry or this odd brown one?"

"You've never had chocolate before?"

Levi shook his head.

"Then you should have the odd brown one. I'll take blueberry."

Levi handed Erwin the blueberry muffin, then picked out a piece of chocolate and nibbled it. His eyes widened. "Everything in Rose Kingdom is so sweet." He commented, then took a bite of the muffin.

Erwin chuckled softly, then began to eat his muffin as well. The pair fell into a silence that neither of them knew how to break. The atmosphere between them was tainted by their intimate act the night before, and the intensity that hung between them was loud in contrast to their continued silence. Miche had woken from his slumber and had come to shadow Erwin and Levi, standing at a distance to give them some privacy. After a moment, Erwin finished his muffin and cleared his throat.

"How was...how was last night?" he asked nervously, his voice sounding dry as he tried to start the conversation.

"The best night of my life." Levi replied, at ease with what they did. "The party was wonderful, but my favorite part was being with you here, on this ship."

Erwin's cheeks coloured and he looked out to sea. "Really?" He asked, his hands travelling to hide in his jacket pockets.

"Do you regret it?" Levi asked, watching Erwin with interest. He didn't seem regretful, just shy.

"Not at all!" Erwin replied quickly, then bit his lower lip. "I would do it again, really."

Levi wasn't able to hide his smile at Erwin's words. "It was that good?" he teased, then added "Because that was my first time with anyone."

Erwin's eyes widened and he looked down at the ship's deck, lightly kicking at the wooden boards with the toe of his shoe. "It was everything I imagined it would be." he confessed, indirectly confessing his first experience to Levi as well.

Levi gave Erwin a winning grin, then winked. For some reason he felt like their relationship was suddenly more playful after they had laid together. Their secret act of lust had taken away the tension that their feuding kingdoms placed on them.

Erwin smiled, then reached out for Levi's hand. "While we're still out here, I want to show you something."

Levi gave him an expression of interest, then followed him from the bow of the ship to the stern, taking his time walking up the stairs up to the poop deck. Erwin led him to the stern railing, before taking Levi's hand to his lips and gently kissing the back of his hand. Being at the back of the ship, Levi looked out to only open sea, then smiled up at Erwin.

"What is it?" he asked, then made an effort to soften his voice. There was nothing but water behind them. "What did you want to show me, Prince Erwin?"

Erwin grinned at Levi's question, then took a step back and scratched his upper lip with his thumb. "Levi, Prince Levi." he began, taking Levi's face in his hands and running his thumbs across Levi's cheeks.

The dark-haired male looked up at him curiously, waiting patiently for him to explain.

Erwin smiled again at Levi's reaction, then released Levi and placed his hands in his coat pockets to keep from touching him. "I've wanted to kiss you for a very long time." he smirked and continued, "Ever since I first saw you, actually, it sounds...so typically romantic to say. And so unlike me. But, it's...it's true. I was...afraid to meet you, because of what I heard, what I was told about you; I know you must of been hearing that a lot recently, that you're not who we thought you were. 'Rude, arrogant, a _brat_.'" Erwin shook his head, gazing out to sea. He turned back to face Levi, his blue eyes locking onto Levi's silver ones.

"But you...you turned out to be beautiful. And I thought you would be like all the other boys I found beautiful, just another pretty face but beneath the surface just a...another cold-hearted narcissist. So I was scared to get close to you. But then you...were _you_ , Levi: kind, understanding, compassionate, insightful, intelligent. You cared about people you had never met before, you _valued_ everyone in the kingdom for whatever it was they could contribute. You empathized when no one else would. But you were fierce and just when it matter most; you were honest about your family and their mistreatment of others. You learned that while you may have a privileged life, you could change your citizens lives for the better. You proved to have more heart than anyone I had met in my entire life." As Erwin spoke, his voice rose with passion and his eyes glimmered with adoration and pride, "And I wanted to show you everything, I wanted to tell you everything. And last night, last night I realized that I could stay silent about all this, or I could tell you how I really feel and take that chance on love. Because," he chuckled, "I'm going about this all wrong. See, as Prince of Rose Kingdom, I'm expected to do things officially and...according to tradition. But there's nothing _traditional_ about me, Levi. And...I'm sure in a kingdom as vast as Rose, there's more people out there that would benefit from me breaking the silence and changing those traditions.

"So here goes." He exhaled heavily, then sank to one knee in front of Levi, and removed his hands from his coat pockets. He took Levi's left hand in his own, and held out a small band of gold out to Levi in his right hand. "I'm in love with you, Levi, and I want to spend every day for the rest of my life with you, sharing this beautiful world with you. Will you marry me, Prince Levi? Will you stay and do me the honor of becoming my husband?"

Levi's mouth dropped open in surprise and he looked at the ship's deck rather than hold Erwin's gaze. His eyes brushed over the ring, noting the simple band of smooth gold, and the symbolism of it caused his heart to beat faster. He had been smirking as Erwin struggled to find the right words to say the entire time, finding him amusingly confusing. He was unsure of where Erwin was going with his speech, but he hadn't thought it would turn out to be a proposal. He wasn't sure how to reply to him: saying yes would mean staying in Rose Kingdom and awaiting the Sina Royals to arrive and reveal the truth of this entire stolen identity mishap. But to say no would mean explaining why, especially after what they had done last night. And he wasn't even sure he could make himself say the word no? Did he _want_ to marry Prince Erwin? He hadn't thought of it as a possibility so he while he amused himself with images of a wedding in his mind, he never gave the idea any consideration for real life.

He made a soft sound of surprise, overwhelmed with emotions, and his eyes brimmed with tears for a slight moment before they began to race down his cheeks. "Oh wow." he murmured, the only words that he could find to say in his moment of growing panic.

"Levi?" Erwin asked, concern in his voice. He slipped the ring back into his pocket, rising to his feet, and took Levi's hand, catching him as he seemed to sway on his feet unsurely. "Are you alright? I didn't scare you, did I?"

"S-scare me?" Levi asked, his eyelashes fluttering as he blinked the tears out of his eyes. He realized he was crying and wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand as he took a step back from Erwin. "N-no, you didn't sc-scare me."

"Talk to me. Please." Erwin pleaded, his blue eyes dark with concern. "How do you feel?"

"Faint." Levi replied, holding onto the stern railing. He was trying to figure out the answers to Erwin's proposal, so he remained honest in his other answers.

"Will you...will you marry me?" The blonde tried again, beginning to feel helpless as he watched Levi.

"I-" Levi looked around for some kind of help, his breathing beginning to pick up. The bump of the gangway touching the ship's deck caught his attention and he began to head towards it. "I _can't._ " he replied, his frustration leaking into his voice.

"You...you cannot?" Erwin asked, sounding crestfallen. He ground his teeth together and narrowed his eyes before following Levi to the dock. " _Why_ not?" he demanded.

"Because-" Levi licked his lower lip, steadily walking towards the castle and keeping his back to Erwin to hide his face. "I- I cannot."

" _Why_ can't you?" Erwin demanded again, rushing forwards to keep up with Levi. He tried to step in front of him and cut him off, but Levi just ducked around him and continued pressing forwards, attempting to rush back towards the castle.

"Because." Levi's voice shook with fear and he exhaled heavily, his chest beginning to feel constricted. It was time to confess, regardless of the outcomes. He was foolish to have let his lie go on for so long. And he would rather the prince hear it from himself and at least maintain whatever respect he had developed for him, than find out from the Sina royals and have his view of Levi tainted by the similarity between them as liars. "Because I'm not-" he began.

Erwin gave Levi an incredulous look that he didn't see since his back was to the blonde. "Not what? Not _gay_?" he asked, cutting Levi off and jumping to conclusions. His insecurities about his own sexual orientation not quite accepted by his own family and friends played on his mind and twisted his reality. The fact that Levi had commented on his sister's beauty the night before replayed in his mind and he considered the possibility that Levi had only been playing around with him as an alcohol-fueled accident.

Levi turned to face Erwin, startling the prince when he stepped up to him rather than continue to walk away. "I'm not _right_ for you, Erwin. Why can't you see that? I'm not- I'm never gonna _be-"_

Prince Erwin cut him off by caressing Levi's cheek in his palm and leaning down to press a sweet, yet passionate kiss to his lips. Levi gasped against his lips, then sighed softly and allowed himself to become lost in the kiss.

-good enough." He breathed, finishing his sentence the moment Erwin pulled away and broke their kiss. His voice sounded less convincing, broken by his heavy breathing and his desire to stay by his side.

Erwin smiled at Levi, admiring the expression of adoration on his face. He traced his cheek with his thumb, then pressed another brief kiss to his lips. "I love you, Levi. You are good enough for me. I choose _you_."

"To be your bride?"

The two princes broke apart at the voice of the King. They turned to face the castle only to discover a small gathering of royalty that had approached them.

Erwin pulled Levi behind himself, standing between his father and his desired partner. "Yes." He breathed, "I want to marry Prince Levi, as Elaina is marrying Isle."

King Smith sighed heavily, his breath tainted with a grudging tone, but he was interrupted from replying by another royal stepping out from the group gathered behind himself.

"Prince Levi?" The man questioned, " _Prince_ Levi? No, that boy is a liar and a fraud! My son was named Prince _Len. Levi_ was the _servant_! He has no relation to my family!" King Zackly turned to direct his anger to King Smith, "How _dare_ you disgrace my entire lineage by introducing everyone to our house's _servant_! No doubt the boy is a cunning liar to have fooled your entire kingdom."

"Levi is a...servant?" Erwin asked, dumbfounded. His mouth hung open in surprise and his eyes narrowed in surprise. It was obvious that he didn't seem to understand what the foreign king was telling him.

"A _servant_?" King Smith repeated. "You mean he _lied_ to the royal Rose family?"

"To better himself, no doubt!" King Zackly spouted, "Everything he said must've been a lie! He would make _us_ the villains to earn your pity and trust! It would've been easy! He knew everything about my kids, my castle! My entire kingdom! He's nothing but a con artist!"

Erwin turned to face Levi, surprised to find tears streaming down his young face. The boy was white with fear and his eyes were large and round in his face. "Tell me it's not true." Erwin demanded from him, his voice weak and low, full of disbelief. "Tell me you are a prince!"

Levi wasn't able to speak. His mouth felt dry and his tongue felt heavy. He shook his head, unsure why it felt so heavy as he attempted to finish his conversation with Erwin. The presence of the Sina Royal family had stunned him, but it also angered him. This was supposed to be _his_ moment; _he_ was supposed to be the one to tell Erwin who he really was.

"You really _are_ a servant?" Erwin gasped when Levi made no comment, and took an involuntary step away from him, realizing that he had slept with a commoner. "Did you lie about _everything_ , then, Levi?" he asked, his tone slowly changing from shock to anger. "Is there anything you told me that had _some_ truth?!"

Levi tried to speak but only a small choking sound escaped his lips. He wanted to reach out for Erwin's hands, but his arms barely moved at his sides.

"Guards! Arrest Levi for treason against the Smith family." King Smith ordered, his voice full of sorrow and surprise. "And for treason against the Zackly's. Maybe then he'll be offered the chance to speak at trial."

"No!" Carolina protested from the back of the group, were she was following the royals as expected to be on-call for any requests. "He's only a boy! He's-"

"Silence!" King Smith roared, catching the look of disapproval appearing on King Zackly face. "Guards! Arrest that boy!"

The words seemed to shake Levi out of his stupor and into a panic. He glanced at Erwin one last time, attempting to commit his face to memory, before he realized two of the king's guards were making their way towards him. He ducked under Flagon's arms and then raced around the group of nobles. The queens and their ladies-in-waiting all gasped as he raced by, but made no effort to stop him. King Zackly reached out for him, shoving aside one of the ladies behind him in his effort to stop Levi, but the boy was too quick. He dashed around the king so that the royal's fingers only grazed through hair, and didn't bother to look back even after the golden crown was pulled from his head and clattered loudly on the cobblestone pathway.

He pressed onwards towards the castle, taking the stairs up to the porch two at a time, until he was charging through the long courtroom that was still decorated for the ball last night. It amazed him that not even twenty-four hours ago he had had the most memorable night of his life here, in this large hall filled with light, and life, and music. His heart hammering against his chest, his breath heavy and painful, he blinked tears out of his eyes and continued running through the mess of the party, over crumpled paper and spilt drinks, past vases of large drooping flowers and colourful streamers, past servants and guards before they had a chance to hear Flagon calling out for them to stop Levi from getting away.

He pushed himself to be faster and not look back, racing through the hallway of the castle and then through the entrance hall. His foot began to burn as he raced out the front door and into the courtyard. He forced himself to focus on his steps, and on the scene before him, and dismissed any thoughts of tripping and falling. He was gasping by the time he had run out of the castle gate and into the city streets. Aware that more guards would be patrolling through the city, Levi did the only thing he could think of and impulsively grabbed the reins of the first animal he came across. Lifting himself up onto the pony's back as he coaxed it into running, he headed back towards the forest at full speed, planning to outrun the guards until he was sure he wouldn't be followed for some time.

* * *

Miche had only just arrived behind the two princes in time to hear the accusations take place. He wanted to grab Erwin and pull him aside, explain to him that the entire thing wasn't Levi fault, but he wasn't sure how he could have explained anything to the prince, given the audience of royalty that would undoubtedly be listening. All at once, King Smith ordered Levi's arrest and the boy had taken off running, fearing for his life. He raced after Levi, his heart in his throat, wanting nothing more than grab him and push him behind himself, risking everything to defend the young man to his last breath. Instead, he grabbed Carolina by the shoulders, stopping her from trying to chase after Levi, and paused only long enough to give her a look of desperation, silently begging her to not reveal that he was the one to blame for the title of Prince. And then he was running again, forcing himself to focus on the smaller man.

"Flagon!" he called, as he began to rush through the castle, careful to avoid knocking other staff to the ground as he dashed forwards, pushing himself to chase after the two smaller men. He was taller and faster, but they had gotten a head start on him and alerted those up ahead of the chase. "Flagon!" he called again.

Flagon stopped at the gate between the city and the castle's courtyard as Levi grabbed the reins of a farmer's small pony and took off with it. "He's getting away!" he called to Miche.

"Let him go!" Miche called back, meeting Flagon's eyes. He came to stand beside the man, pausing to catch his breath and watching Levi slowly become smaller as the distance between them grew. "We'll regroup and go after him in a bit. He won't get very far." He spoke in a low voice to Flagon, hoping that his orders were convincing enough to appear in line with his duty. "It's afternoon already. Soon it will be dark. He'll head to the forest for cover. Even with a pony, he won't get very far." His heart began to sink in his chest as he glanced back to the forest, watching Levi's figure disappear inside, and his own words made him afraid. It would be dark soon, and the forest was full of many dangers. Levi was injured and now alone and afraid. Miche inhaled heavily, afraid for both himself, his family, and Levi. He could only hope that he was able to buy Levi enough time to escape.


	11. Chapter 11

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 11: March, 20th - Evening

The image of Levi's face, pale and wide-eyed with fear, seemed to be permanently etched in Prince Erwin's mind. Each time he closed his eyes, he could see the panic in his wide eyes, the way his mouth hung open in shock. His entire lithe body seemed to be paralyzed for a moment, before the small man had taken off running. Erwin himself had ignored his father's protests and chased after Levi as the small man had ran from their castle, making an attempt to go after him. He was stopped when Queen Smith reached out and grabbed his wrist, keeping him from following Levi and forcing him to listen to his father. He pulled away from her quickly and scowled, wanting to remind her that she was not his mother, but he knew that he was already going to be in enough trouble as it was for leaving the ball early, going sailing, and proposing marriage to Levi without even discussing it as a future option with his father first.

He knew that Queen Smith's action was not with the intention to sympathize with him, so much as it had been for her to support his father's decision, but it had stopped him enough to notice the small crown on the ground, not far from the castle porch. For a moment he paused in his tracks to stare at it. He remembered the moment that he had seen Levi enter the ballroom last night wearing that crown, the way it shone and caught the light of the torches as they walked through the garden together, and the way it gleamed in the moonlight as they kissed against the mast of the schooner. He remembered running his hands through Levi's soft black hair and pushing the crown off his head last night, barely recalling the loud clang it made as it hit the ship's cabin floor. The sound resonating loudly in his head now, and he kicked the crown as hard as he could, not bothering to watch it hit the uneven cobblestones and roll towards the gardens. Then he ignored the cries of disappointment and shame that the group of royalty spouted towards him and turned on heel, rushing to the only place he hadn't shared an experience with Levi: his bedroom. He needed to be alone, he need his own time and space to gather himself out of the view of the Sina Royals and breakdown without them judging him.

Once inside, he slammed the door shut and gazed around the room. He felt unsure of what to do for a moment, and the fact that Levi hadn't been in here made it feel odd to him at the moment. He knew that it was unhealthy to want to be in areas that would remind him of Levi, but the lack of his memory in this space made him feel even worse, as if the entire ordeal had been made up in his head. Frustrated, he knocked over his desk chair and kicked his desk really hard, before throwing down several of the large pieces of furnitures in the room, like his nightstand. Physically taking his emotions out in the room made him feel as though he had some sliver of control again and allowed him to feel that he hadn't just made up Levi's survival as a means of escape from marrying Lana. He gazed around the messy room, then felt overwhelmed by the thought of cleaning it up to maintain the image of a perfectly controlled prince and threw himself onto his bed in tears. His mind was reeling; he wasn't sure how things had gone from the best morning of his life to the worst day possible. He wasn't sure how he would be expected to rule a kingdom when he was unable to woo the man of his dreams. He wasn't even sure if the man of his dreams was anything that he thought he was. And now, he wasn't even sure he was in his sound mind. And somewhere - in the mix of all his thoughts and emotions - Erwin feverently wished that his mother hadn't passed away so soon. If Eleanor was here, he thought, then she would have been able to comfort him and talk to him. He wouldn't have felt as pressured about the entire marriage as he was now, having only his father to discuss it with. The reality that his mother was little more than wind in the trees and the name on the back of his ship distressed him even more, and he buried his face into the pillow sobbing.

Several minutes passed before a knock was heard at his door. It seemed to have been repeated several times before it caught the prince's attention and he lifted his head out of the pillow just long enough to identify the person who had followed him to his room: Carolina. The universe seemed to have tried to give him a motherly figure in Eleanor's stand in, but right now he knew that even Carolina - his godmother in a sense of the word - was no help to him at the moment. Selfishly, he would only have wanted Eleanor to talk to, and since she was buried deep in the heart of the Smith family graveyard, he chose to be with no one. He ignored Carolina's knockings, choosing to stay silent until she gave up and left, and then continued crying.

Normally Erwin Smith was not a man that would be reduced to tears, especially the shoulder-shaking, gut-wrenching sobs he was reduced to now. But the confusion and pain of being played by the man he fell in love with was simply overwhelming, especially after he had allowed himself to believe that they could live happily ever after. He kicked himself for taking Miche's advice and confessing how he felt to Levi. It made it worse for him to find out that Levi hadn't felt the same, and that he wasn't even really the person Erwin had been fooled into thinking he was. He found himself in a situation that – for the first time in his life – he didn't want to be strong for. For the first time in his life, he had seen the man that he could have become if he was able to have Levi by his side: a commander, a strong, intelligent leader with the ability to better the world around him by following his heart. But following his heart had also led him to being hurt in the worst way he had possibly felt, and he no longer wanted to open himself up to that kind of pain again. He no longer wanted the ability to rule, even if it meant changing the world for the better, because being a ruler meant being able to understand and control his feelings. And right now, he didn't even want to acknowledge he had any feelings.

There was another knock at his door - a brisk, sharp rap - before the door was opened without his consent, and Miche stepped inside his room. He twisted the lock behind himself and came to Erwin's side, dragging the knocked-over chair over and placing it right-side up so that he could sit beside his friend.

"I'm so sorry, Erwin." he began, his voice full of regret and remorse.

Erwin rolled over so that he could face his friend, the sclera of his sea-blue eyes now pink and swollen from crying. He hiccoughed, catching his breath so that he could speak to his childhood friend. "Oh, Miche." he managed, "I fucked up so bad."

"It's not your fault-"

"It _is_. I let him get to me. I should have known he was too good to be true." Erwin sat up and pressed his palms into his eyes, attempting to stop crying. "I just...I see _it_ in people like my father. Or the other royals. But I didn't see it in _him_. He was everything they weren't: kind, and caring, and understanding, and just... _innocent._ "

Miche held back his smile, focusing on supporting Erwin. "Maybe he was innocent, Erwin?"

"This whole time?!" Erwin hissed. "He _lied,_ Miche! He could have told me, or Carolina or _anyone!_ Instead, he didn't tell anyone. He let us all believe that he was the prince!"

"Maybe...maybe he was afraid?" Miche offered, shrugging his shoulders and curling his lip, appearing as though he was trying to give Levi the benefit of the doubt.

Erwin folded his arms across his chest, "Alright, say he was afraid." he replied, and a feeling of anger was rising in his voice, filling his body with adrenaline as he realized that a mere common boy reduced him to the point of not wanting to embrace his own birthright as prince. "How do we know that's all he lied about?"

Miche seemed taken aback by Erwin's sudden anger; the man had flipped from such a crushed state of depression to such a hostile anger that he wasn't sure how to reply right away. He tilted his head and made a small noise to prompt Erwin to clarify himself.

Erwin's cheeks turned a faint pink and he stubbornly looked at the bed sheets rather than his friend. "How can I trust him, Miche? All those things he told me, how do I know he really meant them? How can I believe that he valued me when-"

"Valued you?" Miche repeated, twisting Erwin's words into a question. "Erwin, I'm _convinced_ that he cared very deeply about you."

"He _used_ me!" Erwin protested, his breathing heavy. "I- I- I gave him my virginity, Miche! And it all makes sense now! Because after that he- he- he didn't want to marry me. What if he's not even _gay_?"

Miche shook his head, trying to make sense of Erwin's ramblings. He felt like his friend was giving him whiplash, first with his hyperfast mood swings and now jumping from topic to topic. " _What_ are you talking about?"

"On the boat last night!" Erwin hissed, then fell quiet. He wiped a tear running down his cheek with the back of his hand, then sighed, "We- I- lay with him. I- I- I was the, you know?"

"Bottom." Miche whispered, finally understanding what Erwin was so worked up about, why he was so hurt.

Erwin nodded. "I _trusted_ him."

Miche sighed heavily, cursing his luck. With what he witnessed last night, he assumed Erwin would be the one to lead their coupling, so he had prepared himself to convince Erwin that Levi was innocent in the matter of his social status and play on their intimacy to calm Erwin down enough to be able to think rationally again. Apparently, things had gone the other way, forcing him to improvise.

"I don't have much time to spare; I'm needed to lead the search for him. He's still under arrest-"

"As he should be!" Erwin cut Miche off.

Miche sighed again. "I know you're upset, Erwin. But I firmly believe that he had a good reason for not telling us the truth."

"And what would that be? Hmm? He seemed so innocent and yet he knew exactly how to-" Erwin ceased in the middle of his musings. "All the warning signs were there. I just didn't want to believe them. He didn't know how to socialize at the ball. And he was afraid of when King Zackly would arrive, he openly hated him. He acted so innocent and yet he knew exactly what do in bed."

"He _is_ innocent." Miche found himself murmuring, desperate to convince Erwin to believe him.

"And how would you know?!" Erwin countered, his voice full of malice. He narrowed his eyes and searched Miche's face for a moment in silence, attempting to read him for any lies. "What do you know about him that I don't?"

Miche sighed heavily, then rubbed his face with the tips of his fingers. He didn't want to confess to Erwin what he had done, but he didn't want to lie to him either. He ran a hand through his hair nervously, pushing his hair back and revealing his eyes as he usually did before he told the truth. "I knew he wasn't the prince." he confessed, his voice low and quiet, but the emotion in it was strong. It was obvious that he cared very deeply for Erwin. He stroked his chin one, brushing through his stubble with his thumb, then met Erwin's eyes. "He told me when I pulled him out of the carriage that he wasn't the prince, but I didn't let him tell anyone else that. It's my fault, that he didn't tell anyone he's not the prince of Sina kingdom, I asked him to lie about it."

Erwin's breathing became heavy and his eyes glistened with tears. He ground his teeth together, forcing himself to keep from crying at the betrayal of his best friend, and his hands tightened into fists. " _Why?_ " he hissed through gritted teeth. The feeling of betrayal was so strong that he felt as if Miche had taken out his sword and stabbed it right through his chest. He felt stuck in a cycle of shock, sorrow, and anger; shocked by what he was discovering, sorrow from the loss it caused him, and then anger at everyone he trusted and loved so deeply for having chosen to lie to him, to hurt him.

"Because I know you're not attracted to women." Miche explained with a sigh, and it was obvious that this confession wasn't an easy one to make. "Because I thought that Levi seemed like all the boys you told me were attractive before; short, slender, dark-featured. I saw something in his that all those other boys you flirted with didn't have, Erwin. I just...he may have been a servant but looking at him as he was, hanging out of that carriage, injured, and yet still fighting for his masters lives, he was loyal above all else. And he proved to us over the days that he was kind and selfless, even to servants, such as myself. I thought you might take a liking to him, that you may prefer him over another princess proposal. I was just trying to look out for you-"

Erwin's hands were quivering with rage and hurt, having discovered that his best friend and his lover were in a conspiracy together. "You _knew._ " he breathed, "You _manipulated_ me. You basically _sold me to him!_ "

Miche's eyes widened as he realized how upset Erwin was with his confession. "No, it wasn't like that, Erwin. I just- you were miserable after being arranged to Lana. I thought you would enjoy to meet Prince Levi and-"

"He's not even a _prince_!" Erwin countered, seething with rage.

The pair fell into silence. Erwin continued to glare at Miche, who sat motionless in surprise. He hadn't intended to hurt Erwin by interfering with the proposal. But he found that he couldn't back down from supporting Levi. He leaned back in the chair, settling against the backrest.

"Levi-"

"Don't!" Erwin cut him off, "Say his name. He's dead to me!" He stood up and removed his formal jacket he had worn to the ball and threw it on the end of the bed in disgust. "Just like you are." he uttered without even sparing a glance in Miche's direction. "Get out!"

Miche's eyes widened with hurt at Erwin's words and he looked up at Erwin in shock. "But Erwin-" he began, his lower lip beginning to tremble.

"Get out!" Erwin shouted at him, "That's an order!"

Miche got to his feet, unable to look at anything other than the floor. He slowly made his way to the door, his mind still trying to make sense of what just happened between himself and his best friend. "Prince Erwin-" he tried again, turning in the doorway and hoping that the Prince would hear him out.

Erwin came to stand in front of him, looking up at Miche with his eyes like two slabs of hard, cold ice. "If you want him so much, why don't you take him, Michael?" Erwin hissed, then shoved the taller man out of his room and slammed the door in his face.

Miche stood in the hallway, frozen in place, staring at Erwin's door. His eyes filled with tears and he lowered his head so his hair hung in his eyes to hide them from the rest of the castle. He looked to Erwin's door again, half-hoping that he would open the door and apologize. He was in shock, having never seen Erwin so angry before, having never been the one Erwin directed his anger at. He sighed heavily, trying to force the tears back, and headed towards the front of the castle where his regiment was awaiting his orders to look for Levi. Somehow, some way, he was going to have to fix this entire mess he caused.

* * *

Erwin sank to the floor the minute Miche had left his room, lowering himself to his knees beside his bed. His body wanted to cry but his mind wanted to scream. He took his crown off his head and hurled it across the room, watching the solid gold object spin as it flew and bounced back to roll under the desk after it slammed loudly into the stone wall across from him. The desk caught his attention and he narrowed his eyes and rose to approach it. He stared at the desktop, running his fingers along the smooth work surface, before he knelt down in front of the drawers and pulled open the second drawer from the bottom. Inside it was the small wood plaque that he had shown Miche two days ago, the one with the carving of Levi at the helm of the Eleanor that he had Furlan do for him. He traced his fingers over the carving, caressing Levi's cheek with his index finger. He had been wrong to come here thinking that it was a haven away from Levi. The truth was there was nothing and nowhere in Rose Kingdom that he hadn't taken him, shown him, or shared with him. Even in his own bedroom, he had let Levi invade in some form. Usually when he was upset he would run to the ships, but after what they had done on the schooner, he was afraid to go as far as the docks.

For a moment, Erwin held the carving at both ends between his hands and contemplated snapping it in two. He firmly gripped it and began to apply a small amount of pressure, but he couldn't continue and instead set the carving down on the floor, propping it up against the desk so he could gaze it with bittersweet affection. The carving brought many memories to Erwin's mind: the day he had taken Levi aboard the Eleanor, their conversation in the field about the sea, and finally the memory of Erwin's conversation with Miche when he had shown him the finished carving;

 _'I'm going to miss him, when he's gone back to Sina, and-'_

 _'You like him, don't you? You just don't want to say it because of your father.'_

 _'Levi's a man, and he intrigues you; he's what you value: kindness, humour, a lover of learning and nature and freedom. If anyone were open to the idea, they could see the affection the two of you display for each other quite easily.'_

 _'If only I could have been arranged to_ him _instead of Lana, then it wouldn't be so complicated.'_

"If only I could have been arranged to him instead of Lana." Erwin repeated to himself, brushing Levi's face with his fingertip again. The words made him regret treating Miche rudely, and he hugged the carving to his chest, letting the tears fall down his face openly again. The sight of Levi was enough to cause him to cry because he knew he still loved and cared about him. Time passed as he reflected on his days with Levi, recalling the way the sun shone through his hair and caused his skin to glow.

It was on the floor in front of his desk, crying, that Queen Zackly found Prince Erwin, shortly after sunset.

"I've brought you some tea." she began, approaching him calmly, having entered his room without knocking. "It always helped soothe my children when they were upset."

Erwin looked up at Queen Zackly, trying to imagine how Princess Lana would have looked like; he had never gone to see the bodies. The queen had dark hair and steel grey eyes, that he immediately noticed were not as bright or as expressive as Levi's. Instead of seeing Lana, he saw Levi, and he cursed under his breath: how was it that a servant not only closely remembered their master, but also had more beauty than the masters he served as well?

"Come, come." the queen beckoned him, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hug. She smelled of candy and sweetness, and he wrinkled his nose in distaste. He rose to his feet and took the teacup to distract her, taking a large sip from it. It tasted bitter, but he welcomed it in contrast to the candy-sweetness of the queen.

"Thank you." he breathed. As much as he didn't want to be a ruler, he knew it wouldn't do him any good to treat the Queen rudely. He was still the son of his father, the king, and therefore he was still responsible to leading his kingdom, whether he wanted to or not. "I'm sorry to burden you with me, your children-"

"No, not at all." the queen easily waved off his apology. "I just hope you're okay after this...quite eventful week. First, the- the- tragedy. And now, to discover that our servant was...such a liar."

Erwin nodded, his hurt enflaming at the mention of Levi as a liar. He looked down at the tea, swirling the dark drink around in the cup before he met her eyes again. "I'm so deeply sorry for your loss."

The queen nodded and fanned herself with her hand, trying to make her tears disappear. "Thank you." she breathed, "I'm just...so disappointed about the whole thing. We were all looking forwards to your wedding."

Erwin nodded, then finished the tea and handed the cup back to her. "Thank you for the tea." he replied, hoping that she would take the hint and leave him alone again.

She understood his request and nodded, before she reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "Anytime dear." she whispered. "I'll leave you to rest now. See you tomorrow."

Erwin nodded and watched her go, closing the door after herself, before he stood and stripped off his clothing. He crawled into bed naked, letting the cold sheets chill his body, and curled up on his side. Outside the wind picked up and he finally became aware of the sound of rain. He shivered, pulling the sheets over his shoulder, and sighed. His eyes hurt from crying all day and his limbs throbbed gently from having sat still on the floor for so long. He closed his eyes, feeling tears sliding down his face again, and forced himself to focus on his breathing, until he fell asleep and became blissfully unaware of his reality.

* * *

It was early evening when Levi heard the castle guards ride by, their voices clear to him despite the distance between them. With nowhere else to go and no one he could trust, Levi had returned to the one place he was sure they wouldn't search for him: the wreck of the carriage. He rode the pony he had stolen as far as he could into the forest, then turned it around and slapped it so that it would head back to Rose kingdom. He watched it go for a moment, hoping that it would be intelligent enough to find it's owner. The rope that had been tied for the soldiers to carry them out of the wreck and up to the road from the bottom of the gulley had still been tied to the trees above, and he used to navigate his way down the muddy hillside, before lifting himself up and into the discussion window of the carriage. It had begun to rain by late evening, and now that darkness had descended he had crawled further back into the wreck to seek shelter for the night. He looked around the inside of the carriage, surprised that it seemed smaller and much more confining than he had originally believed it to be, and wrapped his arms around his legs, trying to keep as small as possible to avoid the dried blood on the walls and the few insects that had gathered there. The bottom of the carriage was soaked from the falling rain, but he was glad that the wood absorbed so much water; it comforted him that he wouldn't be trapped in here by fire again. Inside his boot, his right heel had begun to bleed again because of the sudden exertion he caused it, and he tried not to focus on the pain as he silently strained to hear any commotion outside.

It had been a long time since he had been abandoned, but he hadn't forgotten how to take care of himself because of it. Levi withdrew into his memories, taking himself back to his fourth winter, when he had to provide for himself after the death of his mother. At the time he hadn't even known what death was, but when he turned her body over and discovered she wasn't moving despite her eyes being open, he knew that she would never wake up again. It had been hard but he had managed to find or steal food to feed himself, and he had managed to sleep in animal barns during the night, following them as his model for survival. When the rain made the ground too wet for him to sleep with them any longer he had to move to the sides of buildings, since their foundations made it harder for the water to penetrate the ground and make it soggy. He had fended as best he could following animals because he was nothing more than a naive child. But this time would be different, he was older now so he could sell his skills or services when he needed to. He could work for his pay, and eventually he would be able to find something stable. He could change his name and alter his appearance, and make it on his own to far, far away. He'd go so far away that Erwin wouldn't hear the beating of his heart ever again.

The thought depressed him and he sighed heavily to fight his tears. He made sure not to touch the carriage too much, and curled up in the darkest corner, furthest from the open discussion window. If the guards were smart enough to come by, he hoped that the angle of the carriage would disguise him and buy him time to escape them. Afterwards, he would have to walk to the next town over and from there he could plan a route to a Kingdom further away, perhaps even sail to another land, where he could live out the rest of his days away from Prince Erwin and his guards. Perhaps, he thought to himself, he would find work as a sailor, so that he could spend the rest of his days climbing the ratlines that Erwin had so eagerly showed him? His chest hurt even though he wasn't injured, and Levi sighed in sorrow. He wanted to be able to keep Erwin in his heart, always, and be able to remember such a beautiful moment in his life each day.

Outside was dark and he was alone in the midst of the gulley floor, with nothing but insects and animals to keep him company, and yet he felt watched. Levi gave his head a shake, knowing he was alone. He was paranoid from the run and it only made him feal fear, but he knew that he was alone here as the night dragged on. His thoughts drifted to memory, and his eyes began to slip closed. Despite the darkness outside he felt like the inside of the carriage was bright. He lay his cheek on the back of his hand, on the top of his knee, and tried to forced himself to ignore his current situation. He thought of the many nights his mother was out working and he had woken up with her not around. He thought of the times he had slept in the stables and curled up next to the horses when he didn't have anywhere else to go. He thought of the first week he had spent at Sina Castle, and the duties he was given. Memories of growing up alongside Lana and Len, always being the only child left out for presents during the holidays, desserts for dinner, and even having a birthday acknowledged, filled him with despair. Despite the cold and the wet, Levi felt his body beginning to slacken and relax as sleep embraced him, and he began to believe that he was back home in Sina Castle, sleeping on the kitchen floor. He would wake up and find out this had all been a very beautiful nightmare, and then he would have to get ready for their carriage ride to Rose Kingdom, for Princess Lana to marry Prince Erwin, the man of his dreams. Shortly after he had closed his eyes, unaware of the tears that had spilled down his frozen cheeks, he fell asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 12: March, 21st

"Lana was very taken by you." Levi informed Erwin, watching him with those piercing silver eyes of his. He was holding Erwin's hands and looking up at him as they spun round and round on the dance floor in the midst of the ballroom.

Erwin smiled but shook his head slightly, before he tightened his hold on Levi's waist and lifted him up to spin him around with the rest of the dancers. He placed him back on his feet and leaned down to press a kiss to his temple, "But I am very taken by you, Prince Levi."

But when he pulled away to gaze into Levi's silver eyes, he was dancing with a young lady that resembled Queen Zackly; dark haired and brown eyed. "Levi?" she questioned, her voice sharp and nasally. "No, no, Prince Erwin. My servant Levi isn't _gay_. He'd never want _you_. But _I_ do."

Prince Erwin woke with a start, jolted awake when the door to his room was opened by Miche. He wiped at his eyes and lay back down, pulling the sheets up to cover his shoulders again.

"My apologies Prince Erwin, but your father demands that you appear for breakfast today with the Sina nobles."

Erwin glared at Miche. The captain looked tired with dark circles under his eyes. He was still in his uniform from yesterday, so Erwin assumed that he had just returned from duty rather than got dressed for it. "Did you just return?" he asked. His own voice sounded hoarse.

"Yes, your highness." Miche replied, his voice monotone since he feared crossing the line from Erwin's guardian to friend. "We haven't found...the prisoner."

"Then look _harder_!" Erwin hissed, unsure of why he was so angry all of a sudden. He remember last night heavily, as though he was seeing it through a thick fog in his mind, and the feelings of betrayal charged through him. He hurt, and today it felt worse than when he had found out the truth from both Levi, the Zackly's, and Miche yesterday. "You may go."

Miche nodded, looking down at the floor. He wasn't surprised by Erwin's words, but he had been hopeful they would put the past behind them and make amends today. He stopped in the doorway when Erwin called out to him, and his heart lifted in his chest, hoping to hear any words that would let him know their friendship was not a lost cause.

"Captain Miche, I dismiss you from my service. Inform Flagon that I would like him as my personal primary guard from now on."

Miche's breath left him in a long exhale. He stood in shock for a moment, unable to fully comprehend what he had just heard, before he remembered to nod and murmured a 'yes, your highness.' Despite being close friends with Erwin, despite being raised as his guardian, Miche knew better than to react on his emotions and remained professional enough to leave respectfully - a quality most soldiers, like Flagon, would fail to possess. Unable to control his emotions once he was outside though, he found himself pulling the prince's door shut and running from his room towards the one in the lower south-east wing. He raced by quickly, his long legs propelling him forwards and across the castle in seconds. He raced down stairs and across halls until he finally threw open the door to the largest servant's quarters, letting it hit the wall with an alarming thud, and then threw himself to his knees on the ground and buried his face in Carolina's lap, sobbing.

"He's dismissed me!" he sobbed, his hands pushing his hair off his face as he gazed up to look at her. "I'm so sorry, Carolina! I didn't know what else to do!"

Carla observed the scene in surprise, then picked up Eren and his bowl of breakfast and took their leave from the room. She felt sorry for Captain Miche, having grown up alongside him and Erwin under the care of her own mother, but she had her own child to attend to and she felt it would be too invasive to stay and hear Miche's grief.

Carolina looked wide-eyed at her daughter for a moment, completely surprised by the sudden interruption of their family breakfast, then smiled at her before looking down at Miche and running her hand through his soft, dirty-blonde hair. She began to comfort him, "Shh, shh." she whispered, "It's going to be alright, Miche."

"He's dismissed me." Miche sobbed again, "He no longer wants my friendship or my services." He turned away, resting his head in her lap and letting his tears fall down his cheeks.

"He's just going through a tough time right now. I'm sure he'll come to his senses soon." she replied, trying her best to comfort him. She had only seen Miche this upset twice before, and once was when the girl he had been courting had become ill one winter and passed away. "You're the best fighter in the entire kingdom and you're his closest friend; it would be foolish of him to let you go."

Miche lifted his head up just enough to look up at Carolina, but despite his attempt he couldn't smile at her words of praise. "He really wants Levi arrested." He replied, and his voice was wracked with worry. "And he promoted Flagon as his personal primary. Flagon." He scoffed at the name.

Carolina shook her head in disgust and hugged Miche towards herself, coaxing him into sitting up on his knees so she could wrap her arms around his shoulders. "Don't worry, my boy. He's making stupid decisions because he's trying to protect himself from getting hurt again. It's too much at once for him: Levi not being a prince and you knowing but not telling him." She wanted to rebuke him and tell him that she knew this sort of sticky situation would arise since the starting, that Miche should have been honest with Erwin himself if he had asked Levi not to be, but she knew that now was also not the time. Miche was clearly distressed and rebuking him now would only make him feel worse. She comforted him as best as she could, knowing that sometimes lessons were better learnt by experience rather than words. "Let him be for now, things will work out in the end. He'll realize that both of you care about him very much." she told him, rubbing his back soothingly.

"We haven't found him." Miche informed her, his voice cracking with stress. "I had the regiment search the forest, the fields, the farms, and the grounds. We upturned most of the city, even going to the places we went shopping at and going through all the farmer's buildings. He's nowhere to be found."

"He'll be found when he wants to be." Carolina replied easily, putting on a brave face and trying not to let Levi's disappearance openly bother her. She was worried about him as well, having spent most of the night by the window wondering why he was and watching Miche's soldiers going from farm to farm, building to building, their torches bold and bright against the dark night sky. "Children run and hide and sometimes you can't find them at all." she reminded him with a smile only a grandmother could give, teasing him indirectly about all the times Erwin and him had frightened her by running off as kids. "But they come home when they want to, because home is where they belong. Levi _belongs_ here with Erwin; you and I, and Erwin, all know that. When the time is right, he'll return. It's instinct. Don't wor-"

"And be trialed for treason against two kingdoms!" Miche moaned. "Why would he retur-"

"And we have a wonderful captain who would have investigated the case and created a solid defense by then." Carolina reminded him, lifting his chin so she could gaze into his eyes. Her aged eyes were bright with wisdom and instinct, and she seemed to be able to look past Miche's distress and into his soul. Her gaze was intimidating, but also inspiring, and it relit the fire of determination in Miche that Erwin's anger had put out.

Miche's answering smile wavered, but he nodded at her praise and determination.

"It's going to be alright." she whispered to him, then pressed a kiss to his forehead and hugged him tightly to her chest. "We just need to keep it together and focus on the matter at hand. We're all going to be alright."

* * *

Erwin didn't join his father for breakfast, as he was requested to. Instead, he cleaned himself up and headed out towards the garden. He walked briskly down the center aisle, continuing past the central fountain and then past the gazebo that marked the end of the garden. Beyond it there was still rows upon rows of flowers that served another purpose: marking the graves of all the ancestors of the Smith family. He continued walking past the graves, heading towards the furthest row, third plot from the west. There was small iron fence that separated part of the graveyard from the rest of them, and Erwin carefully opened the small gate and stepped inside. He stood for a minute gazing at the layout, then settled on the small stone bench that was placed at the foot of the singular stone-encircled grave.

"Hello mother, it's been a while." he greeted her, smiling despite his melancholic mood. A gentle breeze picked up and tickled his skin, and he turned his face upwards towards the direction it came from. "So much has happened in the last week that kept me from visiting. I met Prince Levi of Sina Kingdom, right after my last visit. Or rather, I _thought_ I met the prince of Sina Kingdom. I met Levi - whoever he is - from Sina Kingdom, and I spent the next two days with him, before we prepared for the ball. Father insisted that we have it. That happened two days ago now."

He sighed heavily, then shifted his position on the bench, moving so that he could sit with his legs further apart and lean down towards the grave; he wanted to be as close to his mother as possible, without sitting in the dirt. And he wanted to be invisible, not wanting his father to see him from the castle, with its many vantage points.

"I wish you were here with me now. You always knew I was never one for those sort of functions and events. I would rather have not gone but there was something about Levi, something that just... I just couldn't... stay away from him. I asked him to marry me yesterday, because I... I fell in love with him. I probably should have come and talked to you about it first, maybe you would have told me otherwise. Maybe I wouldn't have listened anyways. He..." He exhaled heavily, dragging out the word, as if this was the part that hurt him most out of yesterday's entire storm of events, "He said no. I never got an answer as to why, because King Zackly interrupted us to inform me that Levi was not the prince of Sina Kingdom, but rather the servant to the prince and princess. All Levi had told me was that he 'not right' for me. And all that makes me wonder is... if he regrets...?"

The wind blew again as Erwin fell silent, not sure how to continue what it was he wanted to say. The wind blew hard enough in from the sea to tease the wind chimes in the crooked cherry blossom tree beside the grave. He glanced at the wind chime that swung in the breeze, reading the word on the ornament: 'love.' He lifted one of his feet so that he could curl himself around his leg. It wasn't a comfortable position, but discomfort was something he was feeling as he spoke to his mother, so he figured it was a rather fitting position to be in. Naturally, he got no actual response from the grave. He never did, but it gave him comfort to know that he could still speak to her somehow, even if he got no immediate reply. His mother had also told him to look for her in other ways, such as in the patterns of the clouds or the formations of the flowers. And this was the reason for the various wind chimes that hung in the tree; he had put them up with his father when she had passed, and he would look to which one rang out whenever he asked for advice. Usually he would be attentive of these chimes and other signs of her responses when he visited her grave, and more often than not he would find answers to the questions he had asked of her.

Today, however, he had no questions to ask her. He was confused about the things that happened over the last forty-eight hours, but he wasn't about ready to ask his mother for advice on his potential love life. Rather, he felt the need to talk to her because he wanted to feel protected again, to feel loved without the hurt of betrayal. He wanted to be heard and not judged, so he didn't ask anything, only shared. But deep down he knew that there was another reason he didn't need to ask his mother any questions. It was because he knew what she would say: relationships only worked if you communicated. And that was probably what was meant by the reminder of 'love.' But since Levi had run away, and he had foolishly sent Miche away as well, he didn't have any hope to speak to Levi again. The very thought of seeing him again made Erwin feel relieved that he was safe, but also angry that Levi had manipulated and used him for his own pleasure and benefit.

"I dismissed Miche as well." He began again, changing the subject to avoid speaking of Levi. Thoughts of the small man were bringing tears to his sore, dry eyes. "I asked Flagon to be appointed as my main guard; he's not as perceptive and he can be easily distracted by flattery, but Miche confessed to me that staging Levi as a prince was his idea."

He realized he had come full circle back to the topic of Levi anyway and stopped talking. He took a deep breath and grew distracted by the wind again. He looked up at the tree, searching for which chime was ringing. His eyes narrowed as he located one in the higher hanging branches, labeled 'danger.'

He was biting his lower lip and cracking his knuckles, trying to figure out what his mother had meant by 'danger' when he was suddenly no longer alone at his mother's grave. He was joined at the grave by a small group of others. Queen Zackly, bringing with her a small throng of ladies-in-waiting who carried with them a small plate of various cheese, cold cut meats, and crackers, as well as some wine, came to join him, taking a seat on the bench by his side without announcing her arrival or asking for his permission.

"You didn't join us for breakfast, I got worried about you." she cooed, offering him a plate and a glass of wine. "I checked your room, but your father told me I might find you out here. May I sit with you?"

Erwin nodded. Since the woman had already seated herself on the bench beside him, he found her question rather pointless but knew it would be impolite to reply otherwise. Despite answering with a nod, he frowned, feeling as though she was intruding on his private moment with his mother; something he imagined she as a mother would have some understanding for. He also felt anger towards his father for having told her where to find him: everyone in the castle knew that he disliked bringing others here, especially strangers. While it was his family's graveyard, the grounds that fenced his mother's resting place were renown to be special to him and him alone. He found that despite his anger towards Levi, he was offended that Queen Zackly pushed herself here before he had even showed Levi his sacred space, a space so sacred to him that he had contemplated coming here in the middle of the night yesterday for some peace from his feelings of betrayal.

"Thank you." he whispered, his voice hoarse from all the sobbing he had done yesterday. "That's most kind of you."

"It's the least I could do." Queen Zackly replied, patting his knee. She watched him take a cracker and a piece of marble cheese, and smiled at him as he began to eat. "I know things are very difficult for you right now, and I'm just hoping to ease as much of that as possible."

Erwin nodded, "I appreciate your concern." he replied, feeling obligated to be polite. The more Queen Zackly repeated her concern for his well-being, the more genuine it sounded, and it was hard for him to understand how this woman was described as so merciless. He was beginning to wonder why Levi had spoken so ill of her and her family, seeing as in the last two days they had told him the truth about their servant's identity and made sure to check up on how he himself was coping with the drama – something his own father hadn't done. Perhaps Levi really _was_ a liar and had made up the horrible stories about the Sina royals to make his own story more convincing? Had he lied about them as well to invoke Erwin's sympathy? To manipulate more royalty?

The wind blew again and caused small ripples to race across the surface of the wine. Erwin looked up and at the clouds, trying to read any pattern in them. It took him a moment to pick out a shape, but a small cloud drifting across the sky seemed to be in the shape of a small horse. Erwin narrowed his eyes as he gazed the cloud-horse, trying to understand what it would mean. What was it his mother was trying to tell him? Or was he simply trying to see things that weren't there?

"Have some of the wine." Queen Zackly interrupted his thoughts, "It's very good with the cheese. The crackers are quite heavy, they won't let you get sick from the alcohol."

Erwin nodded and took a sip, trying to appease her. He wanted to ask her about her family to make some form of small talk, but truthfully he didn't want to hear about any of them and would rather sit in silence with her. He also didn't want to have to endure talking to her about her deceased children; escaping the engagement was still a relief to him, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to risk a conversation too close to the topic of Levi.

"Eleanor Smith." she read aloud from the tombstone, taking it upon herself to initiate a conversation. "Loving wife, mother, and queen. Is this your mother's tomb?" she asked.

Erwin took another sip of wine and nodded, sighing as the drink quenched the thirst he wasn't even aware he had. "Yes. She-" He paused to clear his throat, "She passed away twelve years ago." he informed her.

"So, Queen Smith..."

"Is my step-mother, yes."

"When did your father..."

"When I was sixteen. 'A reasonable age to understand,' as he had put it."

Queen Zackly fell quiet for a moment. Then she whispered, "Do you often come speak to her?"

"I try to get here a few times a week. Recent events made that almost impossible, but I was last here a week ago. I- I had wanted to come three days ago, before the ball, but I ran out of time and so, I thought it would be as good a time as any to come and make sure there are fresh flowers here."

Queen Zackly nodded. "It's so kind of you. Any mother would be grateful for your devotion to her grave."

Erwin nodded, unsure of how to move on from the topic of death. They were too close to the topic of the queen's children, who had both passed away in the ambush.

"You would think a servant wouldn't survive a fall that would have killed my two babies." she continued, changing the topic to where Erwin knew it would inevitably go. She spoke with a harshness in her tone that made Erwin sympathetic to Levi's description of her, and then she turned and locked her eyes on his. "You would think that the servant would die doing all they could do to protect their masters, my children, no?"

Erwin felt like a mouse caught in the eyes of a cobra, finally being made aware of the presence of such a lethal danger, but he forced himself to remain brave, not wanting her to know that he felt that way. He nodded, letting her feel like she convinced him enough, then watched how she smile a crooked, smug smirk.

"How is it that _he_ survived and my babies did not? The medics say that my babies hit their heads and it damaged them enough to possibly cause death. They also say my poor Lenny could have passed away from smoke inhalation, that my darling Lana _broke_ her neck in the fall. But do you know what I think happened, Prince Erwin?" She didn't wait for him to reply, rather she just continued speaking in the same sultry tone, "I believe he _killed_ my babies; he _smashed_ their heads into the carriage and locked them inside it after it caught fire. He _murdered_ my children so that he could _pretend_ he was the prince and ruin our kingdom."

Erwin inhaled as her logical conclusion played with his own fears. Was Levi trying to seduce him so he could make Erwin his next victim? Did he really murder Len and Lana? Besides Judd's testimony regarding the raiders, Levi was the only person present that survived and could tell them what happened during the ambush/ And after falling down the gulley, Judd's testimonial wouldn't be able to include what happened to the royals after he lost sight of them. Levi _could_ have murdered the royal siblings and taken Len's place.

But he wouldn't have a clear enough motive. Levi didn't seem the type to commit crimes for money or fame, and the killing of a noble isn't something one would want to be famous for, seeing as it would ensure them a one-way trip to the gallows. Levi - the compassionate lover of nature, kinship, and knowledge - didn't seem the type to kill anything, let alone his own masters. He was not the type to betray or commit treason, and he was not the type to kill at all. He aided animals giving birth and showed compassion with the townspeople. No, it didn't make sense as to why Levi would intentionally kill his masters, even if they were abusive towards him.

"Please," He stopped her, holding up a hand. "I am sorry for your loss, I truly am. A mother should never have to bury her child, let alone both her children. But I- I-"

"I see." the queen cut him off, "It is still too difficult for you to talk about."

Erwin nodded, grateful that she understood. He couldn't possibly pick sides, couldn't possibly put himself in the middle of her children and the servant that had stolen his heart. He hoped that she would understand, after having seen him argue with Levi about proposing to him earlier yesterday.

"It's just I thought you would like to know, since your father and I discussed the possibility of the servant _murdering_ my children at breakfast this morning."

Erwin's mouth dropped open as he realized that she hadn't understood him at all. The shocking revelation that they had conversed about the charges they would hold against Levi when – and if – he was caught surprised him, and he instantly fell silent.

He gave his head a small shake and finished off the last of the crackers with the cheese, attempting to buy himself time to find a suitable response for the queen. He still hadn't decided if he would ever want to see Levi again, but he couldn't help but feel butterflies in his stomach whenever he was presented with the thought. How would he feel if they hung him? Or beheaded him? Or bound him with chain and submerged him out in the middle of the ocean? He closed his eyes and tried to keep control of his emotions: he wasn't comfortable with the thought of it, regardless of how they would execute him.

He stood up and the world shifted beneath him, his body feeling heavy and weak. Queen Zackly reached out and caught him by the arm, steadying him.

"Feeling unwell, Prince Erwin?" She asked, concern in her voice. "Allow me to escort you back to the castle. You probably should rest some more."

Erwin wanted to complain, he hated resting for any amount of time and would rather run the length of the castle wall. But he knew that resting would probably make him feel better faster. It was simply the shock of the events, and probably his recent sexual activity, that was making him feel the need to rest. He followed her back to the castle and settled in on two small recliners on the back porch.

"Some more wine," she requested sharply from Carla, having settled in the recliner beside Erwin's. "and some tea for the prince. Hurry, hurry. Silly girl."

The noontime sun was high in the sky when Carla returned with a pot of hot tea and a new bottle of wine. She quickly left when the queen dismissed her. The seabirds flew over the garden and then back out to sea and the sun began it's slow but lazy descent from its peak in the sky as the queen and prince Erwin exchanged few comments over the weather and the differences between their kingdoms. Erwin tried to keep from informing the queen about the details of Sina Kingdom he had gotten from Levi, finding her account of the kingdom rather sweet - just like her perfume. He contemplated if she was biased, listening to her speak about the good food and various staples their kingdom was known for, before Erwin fell asleep on the recliner after finishing all his tea, still listening to queen Zackly proudly boast about Kingdom Sina.

* * *

It was bright outside when Levi awoke, but he was only aware of the sunlight from the faint rays that barely reached the inside of the carriage. He was hesitant as he uncurled from around himself, then crawled forwards and cautiously peeked out from the wreck of the carriage, looking around for any raiders or castle guards. He had managed to survive the night – his first night on the run – and yet he felt as if he had managed to survive one thousand. His back was cramped, his legs were all seized up, and he immediately missed the morning showers he was able to enjoy during his stay at Rose castle.

He stood up and stretched, hearing the small vertebra in his spine crack as he tilted side-to-side. As he shook the life back into his limbs, he tried to visualize the forest like a map in his head: there was the main road that cut through the forest from Sina in the east to Rose in the west. But there was also a secondary path to Maria Kingdom to the southwest that branched off the main road. If he took a third path, he would end up at the base of the mountains to the north, which he was sure he wasn't able to cross over. Levi bit his lower lip as he debating this route; the guards would know he was leaving Rose and that he wouldn't return to Sina since that was where he had originally come from. That only left him the option to run to Maria or to the mountains, so would the route to Maria be too obvious?

He tried to recall if there was other nearby cities, such as Ymir's, that might provide him with better coverage if he headed there first. The problem was that most of the other kingdoms were overshadowed or along the same routes as the most-populated tri-kingdoms. He frowned, wishing he hadn't released the pony he had stolen yesterday. In a time like this, speed was of the essence. And he was going to be at the disadvantage, since the royal guards would all have horses. He should have ridden straight to Maria and seen if he could speak to Erwin's sister, Elaina. He was sure she could have helped him, at least with getting the opportunity to explain himself to Erwin. Now, at this point in time, seeking help from Elaina was too risky to alerting his presence in Maria Kingdom, and he couldn't risk having all three of the largest kingdoms after him.

By early in the afternoon, Levi had decided that he was going to head to Maria Kingdom anyways, regardless of the army or lack of horse. He didn't have any other choice knowing that the mountain pass would only result in a slow and painful death. He would simply have to make his way to Maria by means of travelling off the road, staying in the gulley or travelling through the ditches along the roadside. The dirt would bother him, but to be able to walk out of the situation he was in with his life was a fair trade for having to swim through shit for a limited time. Once he arrived at his destination, he would decide where best it would be to hide in Maria Kingdom for the time being, before he would have to move to another city. He knew there was a limit to how many places he would have to move, and only time would eventually discourage the Rose Kingdom from sending out troops to look for him in neighbouring kingdoms, but for the initial protection process, he would need to be open to moving several times over.

He managed to use the ropes that the Rose guards had left behind as a guide back out of the gulley, before he began to head along the main road towards the fork that would inform him which path to follow to Maria Kingdom. It would be a longer walk to Maria than Rose, since Maria sat further south than where he was now, but he couldn't argue with the distance. The inside of his right boot was wet and he was sure his injury had bled all through the night. He found the fork in the road and headed south, slowly letting himself descend into the ditch at the side of the road to hide him from initial view. It was a slow descent, since he lacked the ropes from before to help guide him down the steep slope, but he was able to reach from tree to tree, cutting his hands on the rough bark and bramble thorns until he had finally made it to the squishy earth bottom before continuing to the south, following the road from below.

It was already dark when he realized he had walked throughout the day. His foot was long past the point of burning, and his muscles felt tired from being overworked, but he forced himself to continue moving; he had to find a place safe enough to hide for another night. And that's when he heard their voices.

Inching forwards at a slow pace, he focused on remaining quiet and not cracking a branch or leaf underfoot. Not far in front of him, down at the bottom of the gulley, several men were sitting around a small fire and talking, all speaking with gruff voices and slang words. He recognized one of the voices immediately as the fat man that had rammed the pickaxe through his heel.

"The Sina royals have arrived in Rose kingdom just yesterday apparently."

"Oh? And how did you find that out?"

"I heard the guards asking around for their children's servant when I headed into the city yesterday. Apparently he managed to survive our attack."

"So you're saying we killed the wrong people?" the skinny man asked. His voice surprised Levi, he was sure the skinny man wouldn't have continued to work with the fat slobs that fucked up their mission.

"We attacked the wrong people this entire time. We thought that it was the Rose carriage, remember? We shouldn't have attacked the Sina children."

Levi's eyes narrowed as he tried to piece together what it was he was hearing. So the raiders weren't random? And their target hadn't been the Sina royals? He stepped closer, trying to get around the raiders so that he could hear the skinny one better; he spoke softly and his voice was weak, cracking often due to smoking.

"But we saw them." The second fat slob protested, "We saw them inside the carriage, dinnit we?"

"Yeah, but we weren't going to hurt them. By that time, I was just tryna make it seem like we were thiefs. Dinnit want no stories going out that we saw royals and walked away."

"Right, right." the fat man with the club replied. "We were hired to get that blonde prince from Rose, no?" He asked after a moment for clarification.

"Not before the wedding, no. If we found an opportunity after the wedding, yeah. The main goal is to eliminate him though after Lana married him. The real target was his fat father." The skinny one replied.

Levi's heart leapt to his throat. The raiders were originally hired to kill Erwin or his father? He straightened up and pressed himself against the trunk of a large tree to hide. His immediate thought was to return to Rose Kingdom and inform Prince Erwin that his life was in danger; if the raiders were being paid to come after his family, he was still their main target. But how would he get close enough to speak to him if he was a wanted felon in Rose Kingdom?

His thoughts were interrupted when the raiders continued their conversation, the skinny one once more attempting to clarify their situation, unaware that Levi was even there.

"It doesn't matter, since we still have the crew on the inside that will take down the target. We'll just have to settle on being the second line of attack should they fail."

"But shouldn't we at least touch base with them? Perhaps a raid on the castle would be an easier plan?"

"Idiot! Do you have any idea how many guards they have situated at that castle? Not to mention, the prince's primary body guard is Miche Zacharius, the tallest and strongest soldier in the region, let alone kingdom. It would be suicidal to run a raid on the castle without confirmation from our inside-source."

Levi's eyes narrowed. So someone at Rose Kingdom was going to attempt to kill Prince Erwin and his father? And if they failed, if they couldn't kill him, they could request backup from the raiders?

Levi hated himself for being so compassionate; he wished that he could just force himself not to care. At least that way he could move on with his life and survive. But he knew he wouldn't be the kind of man to stand by and let the ones he loved get hurt. He didn't want to, he knew it was suicidal to return to Rose Kingdom, but his heart ached at the thought that Erwin Smith was no longer on the same earth as him anymore. He turned and began to run back the way he had come, beginning to devise a plan on how to catch Erwin alone to inform him of what it was he had just heard.


	13. Chapter 13

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter 13: March, 22nd

It was a cold day for Spring in Rose Kingdom. It had rained all night, so much that the gutters besides the roadways overflowed and water flooded the streets and castle courtyards. The plants outside were all drenched, and many of the animals – wild and domestic – had hidden in whatever shelters they could find to keep warm and dry from the rainstorm.

Erwin woke up in his room with no recollection of how he had gotten there. He was wearing a dressing down, which was plastered to his skin with sweat, and his mouth felt dry. He groaned and attempted to get out of bed.

"Thirsty?" Queen Zackly asked him, seeming to appear out of nowhere the moment his eyes were opened and offering him a glass of water. "Here, have some."

Erwin was surprised to see her in his room but nodded and took the water gratefully. He took a large gulp, and then drank the entire contents of the glass, unaware that the queen was smirking at him.

"Ex-excuse me if this sounds rude, my lady," he began, then cleared his throat in an attempt to rid the hoarseness from his voice. "But what are you doing in my room?" he asked, feeling much better now that he had something to drink.

"I just came to bring you breakfast." She replied easily, motioning to the tray of food placed on the desk. "But you were still sleeping so I thought it would be best not to wake you. Apparently I did anyways, I'm always so noisy. Or so my husband tells me." she giggled shyly, as if she were apologetic about her clumsiness.

Erwin nodded and looked down at the sheets. He felt self-conscious that a lady was in his bedroom with him when he was in nothing but a dressing gown, but he forced himself to keep calm and not jump to conclusions. She was an older lady, old enough to be his own mother at least, and she had come to bring him breakfast. She wouldn't have thought anything of it even if she had seen his naked body. His breathing became more stable. Queen Zackly was only here to look after him, he reminded himself, probably because she felt guilty for not being able to look after her own children anymore. Probably because she would have looked after him if he had married her daughter, Lana, like he was arranged to.

"Thank you." He murmured, nodding twice. Then glanced up at her, "And, no, you didn't wake me." he smiled warmly at her. "You wouldn't mind bringing me the tray?" he asked.

"Of course not." she replied. She reached out for Erwin, helping to adjust his pillows and sit up, before she picked the tray up easily and then placed it on Erwin's lap, above the sheets. "There you are now." She murmured, patting the sheets beside his legs and then brushing his hair off his face. "Food will bring some of your strength back."

Erwin picked up his spoon and began to eat the peach and orange oatmeal that was on the tray, nodding at her. He knew she was right, eating would help him feel better, and he hurried to fill his mouth to excuse himself from replying to her. It had been odd to have her touch his hair so intimately, and despite her motherly-aura, he wasn't sure he was entirely comfortable with Queen Zackly adopting the persona of _his_ motherly-figure; he had already made it clear to his father and step-mother that he hadn't needed a replacement after Eleanor passed away.

The queen ran a hand across his forehead, pausing in her action of brushing his hair back again. "You seem to have developed a fever." She murmured, "It was probably from sleeping on that boat two nights ago. It's much too cold at this time of year to be at sea."

Erwin nodded but didn't say anything in reply. He felt a stirring of unease unfold in his stomach as the queen mentioned him sleeping on the boat, as if she had known exactly what he had done on the boat, as if the word 'sleeping' had a double meaning. The disapproval in her voice seemed to stem from the fact that he had been out with Levi rather than the fact that he had gone out sailing. He simply continued to eat, not saying anything in return since he wasn't sure what exactly to say to her.

"You should rest today some more. Hopefully it will pass soon." She murmured, finally straightening up and taking her hands off him.

Erwin nodded again, forcing the thoughts from his mind. Queen Zackly was simply trying to get over the fact that both her children were deceased by mothering him in his time of sickness, which was more than he could say for Levi. Queen Zackly was here by his side, bringing him the means to feel better about recent events. Levi had run off into the bush NS and abandoned him the moment his deception was discovered, despite the fact that it was Levi's fault he was now sick. He himself was fevered, his entire body felt as though it was sticky with sweat and overwhelmed with an internal heat. If the fever was from sleeping on the boat, it was because Levi had wanted to go there. And if it wasn't from sleeping on the boat, it was because he had worried himself sick over Levi. Either way, his illness was the _servant_ -boy's fault. And unlike the cruel, narcissistic woman Levi had described his foster-mother-and-employer as, Queen Zackly had taken it upon herself to ensure that he was well-fed and properly cared for after Levi had gotten him sick.

The reality that he was sick only reminded him of the entire ordeal with Levi and King Zackly, resurfacing his embarrassment and pain. He felt anger rush through him, and combined with the fever, he felt overwhelmed by his desire to see justice being served to the dark-haired con-artist that had fooled his family and made a riot of his kingdom. He forced himself to eat, hoping it would help him build his strength back. He wanted to be well enough to go with the search party to find and arrest Levi.

* * *

Levi had run through the forest throughout the night, becoming gradually soaked as the rain filtered down through all the leaves. By morning the forest floor was covered with deep, muddy puddles and the smell of petrichor was heavy in the air. Levi forced himself to continue moving, desperate to put enough distance between himself and the assassins. He was exhausted and shivering, having become chilled by the freezing rain that had matted his clothing to his slender body, and he felt as though he was ready to collapse, having gone without food, drink, or rest for a whole day. But he pushed himself to return to Rose Kingdom; Prince Erwin's life depended on him returning as fast as possible.

Only when the trees actually began to thin and the sound of the animals from the nearby farms were audible did he allowed himself to sit on a small boulder and catch his breath. He could sneak to one of the stables nearby and at least have a drink of water from the trough for animals, and that should provide him with enough energy to make it back to the castle, and hopefully to Erwin's room. He had no choice but to find the prince's private quarters, since looking for him throughout the castle was not an option; he simply couldn't risk being sighted and arrested before he got the chance to speak to him.

But for now he had a bigger problem: making his way to the castle grounds first. He chewed his lower lip, trying to determine how to get through the city unnoticed; the guards would be on alert for a man that matched his description of hair, height, and build. Unless he came up with a convincing way to disguise himself, he wouldn't be getting near the castle, and that meant he wouldn't be speaking to Erwin and informing him of the plan to take his life.

Frustrated, Levi headed to the nearest stable and cautiously entered. The farmer wasn't inside, so Levi assumed he had returned to the farmhouse to have his own breakfast. Taking advantage of his isolation, Levi stole an apple that was probably intended for the donkey and found a large shabby coat nearby. He slipped it on top of his own clothing and buttoned it up, glad that it was oversized and baggy, so it covered his expensive boots. He also stole a weather-beaten fishers hat as well, placing it on his head so that it covered most of his face and tucked most of his hair up. It was then he realized he was no longer wearing the crown of gold from the party two nights ago. He frowned, realizing it saddened him to have lost it; it would have been a blessing if he could have kept it as a reminder of the night he spent dancing with Prince Erwin in the grand hall. It would have made the magic of the whole situation seem _real_ to him, and convince him that it hadn't all been a very magical dream. He shrugged, reminding himself it was never his to begin with; it probably fell off him in the forest and with the squishy, muddy ground, he probably never noticed it fall. It was probably buried in the dirt now, returning him back to his level of peasant.

Angered by his thoughts, he forced himself to shake his head in an attempt to clear his mind. He stayed in the stable, stealing a drink of water from the donkey's trough, when he realized that taking the donkey with him would increase his chances at being mistaken for another farmhand. With shaking hands, he slipped the rope reign for the donkey off the wooden post it was tied to and began to guide the donkey out of the small stable. He glanced towards the farmhouse and after making sure the coast was clear tugged gently to prompt the donkey to move with him. He was afraid that the donkey would bray and cause a commotion, alerting the farmer of his theft, but the animal seemed completely contempt to leave the farm with him. It walked alongside him at a brisk pace to the gate, and then began a lazy trot towards the city, heading up the dirt road towards the main gate. He was grateful that it remained silent until they reached the foot of the city, not wanting to have alerted other neighbouring farmers who may recognize it. He assumed it was because the donkey was used to being taken into the city that it was so quick and quiet about their spontaneous trip. If that was the case, then he would be able to ascend upwards towards the castle with the donkey as part of his disguise.

However, once they were surrounded by people walking through the city streets, the donkey began to bray and grunt. Clearly it wasn't accustomed to being around so many people and had mistaken Levi for its owner, probably because of the scent of the coat. Levi wasn't sure if it was helping him to keep it around anymore, since it was becoming increasingly loud and distressed, so when he reached a busy intersection of the city, halfway to the castle, he released the animal. The minute he had let go of the rope reign, the donkey began to run about, causing a commotion and drawing guards to help herd the panicked animal. Levi took the commotion to his advantage and headed directly towards the castle. He wasn't sure how to find Erwin exactly, especially if he had taken to isolating himself on a ship out at sea, but if he managed to steal into the courtyard, simply being back on the grounds would give him the resurgence of confidence he needed.

To his surprise, the donkey had worked in his favour, drawing the guards out from the front gate of the castle. They hadn't moved away entirely, but they had stepped further away from the doors to watch the other guards attempting to catch the donkey. Levi was unsure if they were watching for amusement or if they were anticipating having to close the gates to keep the donkey out of the castle-yards, so he took the first opportunity he got to slip past the guards and enter the courtyard once more. He didn't remember the first time he had passed under these gates, and he had been inside a carriage the second time, so entering the castle-yard for the third time, and actually passing under elaborate gates made him feel small, worthless, and poor. He was glad to have never known what it was like to pass under them before; it was a harsh reminder that he was and never would be royal. For the first time since he arrived in Rose Kingdom, Levi realized that there was still a heavy and obvious difference between the townspeople and their government.

This difference hit him immediately once he had stepped under the gate and into the castle yard. Here, he instantly became self-conscious of his outfit; the farmer's coat and fisher-hat were too suspicious, having covered him from face to feet. He knew he had a limited amount of time before he would be discovered for being too underdressed, too unknown, so he hurried to think of a way into the castle that wouldn't be guarded. The main ground entrances were always stationed with guards, which made the windows were too obvious and time-consuming to climb into. He scratched at his cheek under the hat. Since he couldn't make a direct route towards the castle, he was forced to think of where in the castle his disheveled clothing would be seen as ordinary.

He headed around the east end of the castle, retracing the path Erwin had shown him earlier to the castle stables. Nearby, there were several pump fountains that he had seen the servants use when they were filling water for the horses or the one day they had filled buckets of water for their laundry. From one of the outdoor wash basins, he had stolen another servant's clothing, before heading into the stables to change outfits. Being short and slender, he figured the clothing would be risky to wear since they wouldn't fit him, but he took the risk anyways and got into the same dark pants and white collared shirt the rest of the male servants that were employed by King Smith wore. The pants were too long so he rolled the cuffs up, but the long legs were a blessing in disguise, as they covered his expensive boots up. After a moment's hesitation, he placed the weathered fisher hat back on his head. As long as the guards didn't pay attention to his feet, he would be able to get into the castle with relative ease.

He was lucky that several servants were heading into the castle's front doors when he arrived, and he hurried to blend into the throng of them heading down the lower south-eastern corridor. From here, he knew that his own bedroom was on the floor above, in a turret that overlooked the north-eastern side of the city, but mostly the field of red and gold that he had spent a day riding horses with Erwin in. He smiled at the memory, then frowned. He was never told where Erwin's bedroom was.

He frowned, trying to logically narrow down what wing of the castle it would have been in. It wouldn't do to place the next heir to the throne near the medical ward and servants, and he would probably have a guard stationed nearby his room – probably his closest friend, Miche – so he wouldn't be in the same wing that Levi's room had been. That left three other wings to choose from. On a hunch, Levi assumed Erwin would have a western wing so that his bedroom would overlook the sea and not the city, and he assumed the northern wing would make for the most protection from any attacks that would come from the front of the caste.

He realized following the servants would be taking him away from Prince Erwin's room, so he feigned dropping something and hung back, making an obvious display to look for it. He knew his act was potentially wasted, since most of the servants would not care for his performance, but he hoped that it would at least provide him a decent alibi, should he be questioned by any passing guards. Once he was sure the hallway was clear, he disassociated himself entirely from the group of servants and headed back towards the front entrance, then onwards towards the upper floor of the north-western wing. He was surprised to find that it seemed smaller than his own wing, and it wasn't long until he found out why. The rooms in this wing were larger, taking up more space from the hallway. He had opened the door to what he assumed was a spacious guest's room, and the next was what he assumed to belong to Captain Miche; he could tell from the musky scent and the decoration of medals, certificates, and badges. The entire space was relatively messy with uniform pieces strewn about and random pages with childhood drawings and scribbles stuck to the stone walls with beeswax. There was also a large mirror hanging above a wide table holding many hair products and brushes, and even a bottle of a woman's perfume. The entire room smelled like a heavy, musky woodsmen scent - no doubt lingering on the uniform Miche had worn when following Levi throughout the forest earlier. Since he had been right in discovering the Erwin's personal guard's room in this wing, he assumed he would also find Erwin's further along.

"Lucky number 3." he whispered to himself, twisting the doorknob in his grasp. The door creaked open with a soft groan and Levi allowed himself to take a step inside. The room was large but very sparingly furnished. A desk was pushed up against the window, and next to it a large bookcase. A nightstand stood off to either side of a large bed, and a wardrobe on the southern wall appeared to hold most of the room's belongings. Levi glanced around, hoping to be able to identify who's room it was by the lack of what was inside it, when a voice called out to him.

"Lady Zackly?"

Levi's blood felt frozen. It was a distraught voice, marred with a raspiness that seemed almost hollow. But it was a voice he would recognize anywhere. Despite the hoarseness, Levi immediately recognized it to be Erwin's voice. But why had he called out to Lady Zackly? Was he expecting her to come to his bedroom?

"No," He found himself stating, "It's me, Levi. I'm- I'm sorry I woke you up."

Erwin moved, sitting upright on his bed and becoming visible to Levi, before meeting his bright grey eyes. "Why did _you_ come back?" he hissed at him, barely able to speak. The anger in his words was weak and made him seem more defensive than upset.

"What a sight to come back to!" Levi retorted, his temper rising as he felt indirectly compared to the family that had abused him for so long. "Prince Erwin of Rose Kingdom flirting with a married woman!"

Erwin hissed and rolled his eyes. "It's not like that." He protested, then began to cough. "I haven't been feeling well." He confessed, his weak voice drained of all anger for a moment.

Levi stepped into the room and shut the door behind himself, before coming to stand beside Erwin at his bedside. Erwin's struggle for breath and weak voice caught his attention and he realized it wasn't from waking up that his voice sounded dry. He pressed a hand to his forehead, focusing on Erwin's health, realizing his retorts were unfair and not productive towards their reconcile.

"You're burning up." he whispered, "Why haven't they sent for a medic?"

"I asked her to," Erwin began, angry that he had to explain to Levi of all people that he was ill, "when she came by my room to deliver my breakfast, but she hasn't returned yet. That's why-" The prince fell into a fit of coughing again.

Levi sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Erwin against himself, rubbing his back as the blonde coughed into the smaller man's lap. "Shh, _I_ shall fetch you a medic." he promised, "But first I need to talk to you."

Erwin pulled away and looked into Levi's eyes. He was angry with him, but since he was presented with an opportunity for answers, he found he couldn't argue with him. His chest squeeze painfully, and he found himself taking a tight hold of Levi's hand, desperate to keep him by his side. "Speak." He gasped, "I'll be generous and hear you out this once."

Levi nodded. He removed the hat from his head and placed it on the side-table. Erwin noted that without his crown, Levi didn't appear any different than when he wore it; he was a simple man, and whether he was dressed richly or poorly, he was beautiful. It made him desire to touch his face, and a roll of anger washed over him as he felt affection for the young man who betrayed him.

"It's true what King Zackly said." Levi began, breaking Erwin out of his thoughts, "I am _not_ the prince of Sina. I'm not a prince of anywhere. And I was the servant to Princess Lana and Prince Len."

Erwin opened his mouth to interrupt him, but Levi held up a hand and urged him to be silent. "But that's not important right now. What's important is that you know you are in danger." he rushed.

Erwin's eyes narrowed and he tilted his head. "Are you... _threatening_ me?" he asked, surprised by Levi's words.

"No! _I'm_ not threatening you. I'm here to warn you!" Levi rolled his eyes. "I was running in the forest when I ran across the raiders last night, the same raiders that killed Len and Lana in the ambush. And they were saying that the Sina carriage wasn't their target, because they weren't after the Sina children at all! They were after _your family!_ I know this is going to sound completely unbelievable, but you have to believe me, Erwin! I wouldn't have returned if I thought that-"

"What are you saying, Levi?" Erwin asked, his voice sounding tired and rough from coughing. "That the raiders were really trying to kill me and my father and that they are going to return to finish the job?"

Levi nodded, then continued. "Yes! They said there is someone in the castl-"

Erwin began to laugh. "Is that really the best that you could come up with?" He asked. He felt hot from the fever, and his angry only made him feel worse; it fuelled his desire to appear independent and unaffected by Levi. He shoved Levi away from himself in an effort to appease that desire and supported himself with his left arm. He looked Levi up and down, making it obvious that he was checking him out in clothing fit for a servant. He turned his eyes away, trying to disguise the pain in them, "At least you came to see me in the rags you belong it." he muttered.

Levi bit his lower lip and tried to keep the tears from springing to his eyes, clearly hurt by Erwin's words. "I came here to _protect_ you!" he argued, hoping that Erwin would believe him. His voice cracked and hit an octave higher as he desperately tried to reason with him. "I'm _not_ making this up!"

" _Why_ should I believe you?" Erwin hissed at him, "You _lied_ to me about your status, you _lied_ to me about your family, and you _lied_ to me about your feelings! You give me no reason to believe you, Levi, because you're nothing but a liar! And a thief. How do I know that Princess Lana really died in that ambush? Or are you lying about _murdering_ her as well?"

"What?!" Levi gasped, surprised by Erwin's sudden accusations. "Why would I-?"

"Maybe _you're_ the hitman?" Erwin threw at him, watching Levi to see if he would crack under pressure. He didn't know why he hurled such aggressive questions at him, but watching the bewildered and hurt expressions on Levi's face made him feel better about his own pain. Why shouldn't Levi hurt when he was the one responsible for Erwin's pain?

Levi bit his lower lip and screamed in frustration. He collapsed to his knees, then wrapped his arms around himself in a hug. Exhausted, frustrated, and hurt, his heartbeat raced as he grew unsure of what else he could say or do to protect the prince, which remained the only thing on his mind at the moment.

Erwin was moved by the sound of Levi's anguish. For a moment he regretted making him feel so useless, so weak. An odd connection between them still existed, and he realized as he heard Levi's scream of agony, he felt the same weak, desperate yearning deep inside himself as well. They were still one in emotions, still bonded even after their fallout. Erwin bit his lower lip, considering if he had been too harsh on the man, when the door to his room flew open and broke his thoughts.

The sound of Levi's distressed cry was enough to draw attention to Erwin's bedroom. The door burst open and captain Flagon entered with several guards in tow, mistaking the cry for Erwin being in danger. Flagon took in the scene quickly and looked to Erwin for command.

"Take him out of my room and out of my sight!" Erwin choked out, unable to handle the constant swing of sympathy and anger towards the servant. "I can't stand to be in the same room with him any longer!"

Flagon nodded and motioned to his soldiers, "Arrest him immediately!"

Levi looked at Erwin with a horrified expression, silently begging for his help. But Prince Erwin only shook his head. His chest felt constricted again and he began to cough, barely hearing Flagon's commands for the guards to take Levi away to dungeons to await his trial.

"Help him!" Levi cried, attempting to pull away from the guards that grabbed his wrists, "He needs medicine! And protection! There's a spy- in the castle!"

"Silence!" One of Flagon's men shouted at him. Without giving Levi a chance to obey, he punched him in the stomach, winding him and forcing the man to fall silent with a moan of pain.

Levi gasped, feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes. It hurt him to realize that Erwin had indirectly ordered his abuse, just as the Sina Royalty had his entire life. He found the comparison cruel and unwelcomed, not wanting to admit that it was his reality, not wanting to acknowledge Erwin was the same as the abusive royalty he had grew up under. His vision became blurry and he choked, fearing he was going to puke. Without any strength left in his body or his heart, Levi simply felt numb, letting the guards drag his limp body out of Prince Erwin's room and towards the castle dungeons.

"Prince Erwin," Flagon addressed him, forcing the prince to focus on him and not Levi being hauled away. He placed a hand on Erwin's forehead and his own eyes grew wide and ashamed; his primary charge was heavily fevered and appeared to be falling susceptible to delusion under the high temperature. "I shall have a medic sent in immediately!"

He didn't wait for a reply from the prince and instead walked out of his room, meaning to follow the guards dragging a shell-shocked Levi to the dungeons, when he was interrupted by Queen Zackly.

"The medic won't be necessary, I'll look after him, Captain Flagon." she smiled at him, petting at his chest as she spoke. "But I must say, it is good to have a captain around that can actually _capture_ the criminal. Unlike that useless old one of his, Mic, or whatever his name was."

Flagon brimmed with pride at her words, glad to have finally bested Miche at something. "Thank you, your highness!" he replied, "I would most appreciate it if you could mention that to the King."

Queen Zackly gave Flagon a bright smile and touched his cheek. "Of course," she replied, "Anything for the men that serve my Erwin."


	14. Chapter 14

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

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Chapter 14: March, 25th

It had been two days since Levi had been locked in the dungeons of Rose Castle. Kept deep in the depths of Rose Castle, he was cut off from all forms of communication with anyone but the soldiers that rotated to guard his cell, and after several attempts of asking them questions left him with no answers, he had given up trying to speak with them. He was left unaware of what the conditions of Rose Castle and its inhabitants were in. He wasn't sure when he would be put on trial, or whether he would have been given a chance to defend himself, and it had reached a point where he had stopped caring if he would be able to defend himself at all. His last two conversations with Prince Erwin haunted him and blocked out all the good memories they had made together. All he could see was how Erwin had sat in his bed, his eyes red-rimmed and his skin pale, and hurled wild accusations at him. Nothing he did could keep the memory from coming to mind, and he often cried himself to sleep for several short hours because of it, before waking up screaming because he revisited the same moment in his dreams.

At night, there was an eerie glow in his cell that he couldn't figure out. He anticipated to hear news of a storm, since the light resembled the reflection of flickering forks of lightning, but he hadn't heard any booming thunder or the chill of any heavy rains. The light appeared random, with no motive or origin, and it unsettled him. He couldn't pinpoint a cause of it and each time he woke up and discovered it, he felt panicked for no apparent reason. It didn't appear in the daytime, which he could only mark arriving by the changing of the guard's shifts and the times food was brought to him. But he couldn't be sure if it had appeared once or twice during the day as well, since the cell appeared the same all throughout the day and night, lit only by the secondary light of the glowing torches outside his cell door. He hadn't the desire to ask the guards stationed at his door about the odd light, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention.

At first, the soldiers that had been stationed as his guards outside his cell were unknown to him They - both tall, young men with firm demeanours and quiet voices, would be just outside his door, all throughout the night and day, rotating every six hours. Today, the third day of his captivity, Captain Nanaba had surprised him by reporting to duty as his guard. The small blonde tried to speak to him through the door, asking him if he was alright or if he wanted any water, but he never replied if he could help it. Despite Nanaba's attempts to keep him company or gather any information from him, Levi felt it was unsafe to trust him and spoke very little in return, often communicating with a shake of his head to deny the blonde his companionship. Captain Hanji took the night watch over him, behaving more professionally than Nanaba. The brunette followed his orders to not communicate to the prisoner at all, and Levi hadn't heard a word from him from the time he started his shift until he ended it. Then he would hear him speak to Nanaba and inform him of the uneventful shift, filling him in on whether he had fed Levi or emptied out the pot they had given him to use as a bathroom - a rare occurrence of late since he barely ate the food given to him; he was much too sick for food.

From deep in the dungeons, Levi felt that he was going to lose his mind from being kept so isolated from the people he cared so deeply about. It pained him to be so unaware of what was happening in the castle at all. The cells were underground, in the basement of the castle. The walls were made of dark brick and the front wall was made of sheets of iron held together by thick rivets. There were no windows and no natural light. The only source of light and air was the small door, made of six iron bars welded together that stood six feet tall. The air felt heavy and steamy, but the entire cell was cold. The metal bars had dew on them in the morning and his breath could be seen as he breathed at night. Levi had ripped the cuffs of the pants off so that his feet and ankles were free from the cold, dirty material, and the guards had ripped the sleeves of his shirt in several places when they had bullied him into the cell, leaving him in something that resembled the rags Erwin had told him he was fit for. He wanted to take off the expensive boots, surprised that the first guards hadn't already taken them, but without them his feet would freeze and he feared his toes would catch frostbite. And removing the boot seemed impossible enough - his foot had swelled once again, so to remove it would involve strength, pain, and medical attention. Given that his foot was already injured, he considered if being naked would expose his wound to greater risks of bleeding or infection.

The shoes and his clothing had discoloured while he was down there, and had begun to smell faintly of his blood and sweat and dirt. Since he had been sleeping on the small bed of hay they had provided him with, his skin had become irritated from the dry straw and his clothing had begun to have the appearance of a farmer's worn garments, a fact he found ironic given the disguise he had used to sneak back into the castle.

This morning, he had waited until Nanaba's shift had started to crawl towards the door. He reached out intending to tap the door, hoping to catch his attention, but Nanaba's figure blocked out the only source of light that entered the cell. Levi assumed the small guard had finally stood up from where he usually sat on the small step-stool outside the door to look through the bars at Levi.

"Levi?" Nanaba asked cheerfully, "Need anything?"

"C-could you bring m-me some water, please, Captain Na-naba?" Levi requested, surprised to hear how rough his voice sounded. His throat was dry, so his words came out as a scratchy whisper.

"Y-yes, of course!" Nanaba agreed, surprised to hear Levi's voice so gruff as well. Levi could hear him shuffle off before he returned shortly and brought him a cup. He unlocked the door so that he could step inside and hand it to him, then looked at him on the ground and crouched down by his side.

Levi weakly lifted his arms, but the manacles around his wrists that bound him to the back wall kept him from reaching the cup. He had already stretched the chains to their limit crawling towards the front wall to catch the guard's attention. Clearly, the horrifying tactics and protocols of Rose Kingdom that Levi had questioned existing when he arrived was kept secret from the castle and kingdom until experienced for breaking the few rules the crown had set down. Afterwards, it seemed the royalty spared no mercy towards anyone that would disobey them. Nanaba sighed softly and came closer, handing Levi the cup. As he watched him struggle, he pitied the smaller man, so he held the cup and the man, supporting his neck and head as he drank.

"Thank you." Levi mumbled, after swallowing several mouthfuls. "But I wanted some more to wash myself with." he explained.

Nanaba's face paled and he looked towards the door. "I'm not sure if I could get you that." he began to explain. "You might freeze, and I don't think the prisoners are allowed-"

"Please!" Levi gasped, his fingers curling around Nanaba's wrist, "Please, please! I'm begging you, I'm honestly begging, Nanaba! I-"

"I'm really sorry, Levi!" Nanaba panicked, "I really can't-"

"Oh, just step out of there and leave him to me." Carolina spoke, stepping into the cell and carrying with herself a large bucket of warm water, several bowls, and a small stool. She also had several towels draped over her narrow right shoulder.

Nanaba stood up the minute he saw her. "Oh, Carolina." he breathed, "It's you."

Carolina gave Nanaba a tight smile, then put her bucket down. "Let me see him." She firmly demanded, "I haven't seen the poor child since he was run out of the castle! Oh, my word!" She exclaimed, her voice dropping to a moan of sympathy, "Nanaba!" She exclaimed, "Do me a blessing child, and take those wretched things off him." She pointed out the manacles around Levi's wrists and ankles. "He's not going to harm an old woman like me, I assure you of that. He's not going to harm anyone at all!"

Nanaba nodded and headed out of the cell to retrieve the keys. He came back and unlocked Levi from his binds, then brought into the cell with him a small oil lamp to provide them with a greater sources of light than the weak glow of the torches that came through the cell door. Afterwards, he headed outside and locked both Levi and Carolina in. "Tell me when you're done so that I can let you out, Ms. Carolina." He informed her. "I need to keep this door locked, especially if he's unbound. I can't risk being removed from duty."

Carolina rolled her eyes but smiled to herself. "I understand, Captain Nanaba. It's worth more than your job to disobey your orders."

Nanaba sighed outside, glad that Carolina hadn't given him a hard time.

"He's such a sweet boy, that Nanaba." Carolina whispered to Levi, "Reminds me of you. Always wanting to do the right thing for people, even if it gets them into some trouble."

Levi didn't move, only stared at her with his eyes wide. He wasn't sure if he wanted her to wash him, he didn't feel comfortable with the thought since she was no longer assigned to assist him as a prince, but he had wanted to feel some degree cleaner than what he was at the moment. The realization that Carolina had not been sent here to wash him - since she was no longer looking after him as a prince - had stirred a thought in his mind and provoked another question for him that distracted him from the idea of cleanliness: why was Carolina even here at all? His throat had gone dry again and he found it hard to speak, so he simply kept his mouth shut and watched her, his questions obvious in his large silver eyes.

"Come now, boy, let's take off your clothing. I'm going to use the towels to wash you." She had sat down on the stool she had brought with herself and then took the largest bowl of the set she had brought and set it before herself on the floor. Then she turned the medium sized bowl upside down and placed it inside the largest one, and wordlessly guided Levi to sit on it so that he wasn't seated on the dirty floor. "Come now, you can talk to me." she coaxed him gently, helping him remove an arm from his shirt. She was thankful he was still cooperative with her and not stubbornly attempting to sulk on his own as she anticipated he would.

"C-can I?" Levi asked, breaking his silence. "Y-you don't think I'm a liar too, d-do you?"

"I _know_ you're a liar, Levi." She informed him, her voice not wavering in the least as she removed the garment from his chest. "But I also know that you're _innocent_." She smiled at him, her voice soft and honest. She paused to help him drink some more water from the cup Nanaba had left them.

"You _knew_ then?!" Levi asked, his voice cracking as he pieced together her words. "You _knew_ I wasn't the prince of Sina?!"

"It was a bit obvious to me." she confessed, then shrugged again. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed the look of surprise on the young man's face. "But I can't say I figured it out on my own."

" _Who_ then?" Levi asked, still surprised. His head felt heavy but for the first time in days he could feel his mind begin to form a plan rather than questions. He began to feel hopeful, no longer alone, so it wasn't as if the entire kingdom would grant him a trial only to gloat about beheading him afterwards. More importantly, could he perhap enlist the help of others to help defend Erwin from the inside spy planning to assassinate him?

"Captain Miche." she informed him with a smile, "He didn't directly tell me that you weren't the prince, but he told me he had his reasons for saying that you were."

"I tried to tell him when he found me," Levi rushed to explain, "But he told me not to tell anyone. I felt so guilty. Even now. I betrayed everyone's trust. I wasn't sure why he told me to lie, but I didn't want to..." Levi's voice fell lower and lower as he began to form a new theory. Could it be Miche was the inside man for the raiders? _'No,'_ he argued with himself, _'The raiders were afraid of Miche.'_

"Shh, I'm sure Miche has his reasons." Carolina replied, watching Levi's eyes glaze over as he debated with himself. "Besides," she continued, hoping to catch his attention and keep him from self-abusive thoughts. "The most important thing is that we're all together. And we'll find a way out of this disaster."

"No." Levi whispered, realizing Carolina had no idea about the raiders and that she could help him relay the message while he was incapable of doing so himself. "Ms. Carolina! Nothing is alright!" He began, grasping her wrists and pleading with her to meet his eyes, "Prince Erwin is in grave danger! I tried to warn him, but he didn't believe me!"

Carolina paused in wiping down Levi's arm with a wet towel. "What?"

"That's why I came back!" Levi explained, "I stumbled across the raiders in the forest when I was running away. I overheard what they were talking about! They weren't a random attack! They were hired hit-men that were targeting Prince Erwin and his father! We need to inform Captain Miche at once! I tried to warn Prince Erwin but he-"

Carolina raised a finger to silence Levi, then sighed heavily while looking at the floor. "Captain Miche has been dismissed by Prince Erwin." she informed Levi, breathing deeply. She sighed again, watching the fear waver in the boy's eyes, "He's been demoted to a captain in the regiment. Captain Flagon, the man that ordered your arrest, is now Prince Erwin's personal guard."

"No!" Levi gasped, attempting to stand. His shaking legs couldn't support him and he fell back onto the stool. "He's in _danger_! There's someone _inside_ this castle that's planning on _killing_ him!"

Carolina swore, and dropped the dirty towel into the bowl she had been wringing the dirty water into. "I _knew_ you returned for good reason." she whispered, at a loss of what to say. "I knew, I just knew you wouldn't come back unless you absolutely had to." A moment of silence passed in which Carolina picked up the towel, wrung it out, and soaked it in the clean water to wipe down Levi's back, then she urged him to look at her again, "What did they say, the raiders? What did you hear them say?"

Levi shook his hand in front of himself, trying to bring the memory to mind word for word. "One asked the other if they were hired to kill 'that blonde prince from Rose.'" he replied, emphasizing the words that he quoted from the raiders. "And they went on to argue if they should raid the castle to kill him or rely on their 'inside-source' to try to finish the job. Several of them were very scared, they mentioned Miche by name, saying he's the tallest and strongest soldier in the region."

Carolina nodded, "They would be smart to stay away from him." she agreed, "But if they find out that Erwin had dismissed him from his services- oh! And we have no idea who the inside-source is."

Levi nodded, then slumped forwards. "Ex-exactly." he agreed, hugging himself around the waist as his stomach began to cramp in pain, "They could in-form the raid-raiders of Fl-Fllagon's promotion, whoever they a-are." He stammered through the pain. He hadn't eaten a meal since he had stolen the apple from the donkey just over two days ago, and more recently abandoned food completely, having rejected the bread that Nanaba and Hanji had pushed through the bars at the bottom of the door on their first shifts.

Carolina splashed his face with water to waken him, then called for Nanaba to bring him some stew and bread.

"He's not allowed stew." Nanaba replied, "Only bread."

"The boy will willow away!" Carolina exclaimed, "Bring him bread and stew this instant! Even the prisoners in Rose Kingdom have a right to eat."

"Right away, ma'am!" Nanaba replied, hurrying off to find another solider that could fetch him the food.

Levi opened his mouth to reject the food, having become accustomed to denying it at this point in order to save himself the disappointment of fighting to stay alive only to be executed after trial. But now that he was aware of Carolina's allegiance, he made no protest of food, feeling an odd desire to eat and gain whatever strength he could in order to save Erwin. "How is Er-Erwin?" Levi asked, his voice strained, focusing on the man rather than himself. "How is he? He was- sick when I last saw him."

Carolina hugged Levi to her chest, then began to wash his face. She dipped a small bowl in the bucket of water, then tipped it over above his head so that she could begin to wash his hair as best as she could. "He's faired better, child." she replied in a grave voice. "He hasn't gotten out of bed for days."

Levi exhaled in frustration, trying to wrack his mind for a sense of justice. It wasn't fair that Erwin had gotten sick when he was being hunted like some damned dog. "He ne-needs protection." He mumbled, struggling to make sense through the ringing in his head. The sudden headache was draining to him, it was probably brought on because he was finally being able to wash his hair. The water dripping down from his head was a dark grey colour with dirt as it fell into the bucket under him. The run-off stung his chaffed skin and cut wrists where the manacles had dug into his flesh and he winced softly. "Som-someone should guard his room until he f-fe-feels better, at least."

Carolina nodded, continuing to lift water from the large bucket and pour it over his head, then ran her fingers through his hair and along the back of his head. "Shh, shh. I know, I'm sorry." Carolina whispered, trying to comfort him. "I'll see who I can get up there." She mused, already planning to speak to Miche about everything Levi had told her.

Nanaba arrived with the food and unlocked the door, coming inside to set the tray on the ground in front of Levi. "Please hurry," he begged them, "I need to remove the dishes before Captain Hanji's shift. He'll expose me, I know he will."

Carolina nodded, then asked Nanaba to gather the washcloths, towels, and empty bucket of water from washing Levi. "Please take these out for me, I need to feed him." she explained.

She began to brush through his hair with her fingertips, recalling the day she had cut off his long locks. It made sense for him to have such long, unkept, damaged hair now. While she had tried to pass off the damage from the fire, then being left out all night, being sick and injured, it didn't make sense as to why a prince was so poorly groomed over a few days. There was no way a young man's hair would grow so wildly, become so tangled, and resemble a child's when the boy-servant found alongside him would be kept so neatly. Now as she ran her fingers through his hair, she felt an heavy irony settle into the pit of her stomach; it made no sense for such a once-well groomed, well mannered, intelligent young man to be locked away in a dungeon when he better suited the status of a prince.

She took the bread from the plate, noting that Levi had made no effort to begin eating, and dipped it into the stew to soften it. Then she raised the moistened bread to his lips and coaxed him into taking a bite. She knew, as she had when caring for children, that it was the first few bites that were the hardest, and afterwards they would begin to eat with vigor that left her confident in their growing strength. She made sure Levi chewed the bread and swallowed it, not just pocketing the bolus of food in the cheeks of his mouth in some futile attempt to starve himself. All the while she continued brushing his hair in her free hand, keeping a comforting rhythm while stroking the back of his head until he had finished the entire single portion of bread. Then she picked up the bowl and began to spoon the broth into his mouth, tricking him with drinking only the soup, before adding vegetables to each bite. Her insightful bright eyes watched Levi's face, noting the way his breathing began to fall into a steady pattern and some colour began to return to his pale face.

"Carolina, ma'am," Nanaba spoke up, "Please. The time."

Carolina chuckled, using the spoon to gently wipe the broth from Levi's lower lip. "Alright." She sighed, softly enough for only Levi to hear, "I'll take my leave now." She spoke to the captain, "But you do take care to make sure he doesn't fall ill. 'Can't believe you two just left him _fainting_ from hunger." She lectured the guard, rising and taking with her the tray of food and the small stool. "And _don't_ chain him to the wall like some animal. He's still just a boy!"

Nanaba nodded, smiling in agreement with Carolina. "Of course," he agreed, "yes, of course! I will inform Captain Hanji of such decision."

Levi smiled for the first time in days. His lips were cracked and he felt them split from the foreign expression, but he was grateful to have Ms. Carolina and Miche on his side. At least someone could make sure Prince Erwin was safe, even if it meant he would have to rot away in this dungeon. His chaffed wrists and lip were bleeding and his head was throbbing, but after being cleaned and now fed, he felt much stronger and optimistic about the whole situation.

Nanaba got him another glass of water and removed the dishes before Captain Hanji arrived for his shift. When Hanji did arrive, Nanaba took the risk of giving him a false briefing on Levi's schedule for the day, informing Hanji that Levi had been feeling sickly and continued to refuse food, accepting only water. Out of fear of the boy dying, he had called for Carolina to visit and she advised him to unchain Levi from the wall and fed him some bread. Carolina also advised them that it was in their best interest to let Levi spend the night resting. Hanji nodded and sat in front of the door on the small stool, commenting that he was expecting that his shift was going to be another boring one.

* * *

Carolina immediately headed to the wall when she was done taking care of Levi. She called up to the guards above her to ask if Miche was nearby, only to discover that Miche was the one that called down to her, smoke escaping his lips. He disappeared back above the wall and she heard him coughing several times, before he took the stairs two at a time to come to her, since she had trouble walking up the narrow stairs to the top of the wall. He dropped a small, rolled joint to the pavement and he stepped on it to put out the flame.

"You're smoking again?" Carolina asked him, surprised that he had returned to the vice he had long-since quit.

"Yeah. I've...clearly been put under too much stress. We actually just had another arrest."

"Of who?" Carolina asked, her eyes narrowing in surprise.

"The skinny raider with dark, stringy hair. He denied it the entire time, but Captain Flagon insists he matches the description of the man Levi gave us. He's in a holding cell right now. Flagon _personally_ saw to it."

Carolina nodded, then licked her lips. "You don't seem convinced."

"I'm not entirely sure. I would love to ask Levi to confirm the man's identity, as I'm not sure if this really is our man. True, he's tall and skinny with dark-hair, but he doesn't seem that dangerous and didn't try to fight Flagon when he was being arrested. He gave us his name and a reason for being in Rose Kingdom, but he isn't a citizen and that makes him look suspicious. He could have been in the bar just to scope out the city and perhaps is trying to kill Levi and finish the job he started, but I just don't see why he would be in the bar openly, having a drink after all this. Isn't that too dangerous? Wouldn't they expect us to be searching for them? And, why would he be alone? Unless, he was trying to get caught so he could get into the castle. But that doesn't make sense because he wouldn't be able to get out of the dungeons anyways."

"What's his name?" Carolina found herself asking, cutting off Miche's ramblings and outspoken thoughts.

"He gave us the name Kenny Ackerman, but of course that could also be false. He says he was here because he's part of a crew that sailed here with the intention to trade staple materials. I had asked the captain of the ship that he had told us he sailed in on and confirmed that he was part of their crew. However, the captain has no intentions of taking him and several of them men back for the return trip, since they had only signed contracts for a one-way journey and apparently Kenny wasn't a _treat_ to have onboard."

Carolina sighed unhappily, her gaze turning down. She paused as her eyes fell on the crushed joint. "I want my boys to be healthy." she reminded him, hoping that a lighter reminder was of more use than a stressful lecture, before attempting to move the conversation along. There was nothing they could do about the man in the dungeon but hope that they caught the right man. At least if they had, they could worry less about the raiders attempting to storm the castle, which reminded her of her initial reason to seek Miche out.

Miche nodded, ashamed that he had been caught. "It was a moment of weakness." He mumbled, "I don't plan on re-making a habit."

Carolina nodded. "I'm not here to be a thorn in your side." she began, bracing him before she changed the subject to what she really needed to tell him. "But I've just been down to visit Levi in the dungeons and I found out some very scary things. Let's hope that Kenny really is our skinny raider, because I have some rather grave news."

Miche inhaled sharply, then nodded. "Alright." he murmured, his interest evidently peaked. "Go on."

"Levi told me he returned because he wanted to warn Prince Erwin that his life is in danger."

"Danger?" Miche's eyebrows pulled together under his bangs and he pursed his lips. "Erwin's?"

"Yes. Levi said he ran into the raiders when he was in the forest. Said they were talking, debating about storming Rose Castle to kill Prince Erwin or wait to hear from their inside-source first."

"Inside-source?" Miche repeated, "Who would that be? We can probably compile a list of who to be alert around: Flagon for one-"

Carolina shrugged and cut him off, attempting to stick to the things that Levi had entrusted her to pass on to him. "Your guess is as good as mine. But, as you are aware, Erwin has been getting sicker. Levi suggests we put a guard outside his room, in the event that the raiders decided to storm the castle and he's not feeling well. I completely agree with this suggestion and feel ashamed that we hadn't thought of it ourselves. And, I couldn't think of a better soldier than you."

Miche smiled at Carolina's praise but his expression fell as he realized it meant standing guard outside Erwin's bedroom door all day until the prince felt better.

"I'm- I'm not sure I should do that." he replied, "What if Erwin sends me away?"

"He won't have to speak to you. You'd just be outside his room. He probably wouldn't even notice. In his condition, I don't think he would mind much at all."

Miche thought it over, then frowned and nodded. "I could probably try to find out who their inside-source is as well. No doubt he would try to keep around Erwin, even if he is sick."

"Exactly," Carolina agreed. "I'll make the suggestion to the king."

"But don't mention the hit-man." Miche urged, "We can't explain how we found out about him. And we can't let the inside-source know we picked up on him."

Carolina nodded, glad that Miche was thinking logically and strategically about it all, despite his obvious depression.

"At any rate, tell the King I volunteer for the position and that I insist on guarding his son. Tell him that I take my vows seriously and whether Prince Erwin wishes it or not, I have vowed to protect him, even at the cost of my own life. Tell him I suggested a guard since I had been informed that the prince's condition has become worse so that he can have access to immediate aid, should he need it. I doubt his father would disagree."

Carolina nodded, beginning to smile. Now that Miche was strategizing again, she was sure the time he spent outside Erwin's door was going to be put to good use. He would no doubt think of a way to defend Levi during his trial, and if all went well, they would be able to give Levi his freedom back at the very least. She pulled him down by the shoulders to kiss his cheeks, surprising him and causing a pink blush to appear under his bangs. Then she headed inside to speak to the king, knowing that she would be able to convince him of the necessary measures to keep prince Erwin alive.

* * *

Erwin had lost track of the days he had spent lying in bed. Even though he could see out the window, he wasn't sure how much time had passed whenever he caught sight of the sun or the moon outside. He pulled the blankets up and sighed, but he didn't feel any warmer. He was propped up on his pillows and surrounded by blankets, but he felt as if he was surrounded by ice. The window had showed the glowing orange sun today, the room full of its warm, bright glow, but the rays felt as cold and empty as he did. He was beginning to shiver by early nightfall, and was attempting to summon one of the castle staff to request more blankets from when Queen Zackly entered.

"I've brought you hot soup, young prince." she informed him, "With plenty of salt."

Erwin shook his head. "I don't want to eat." he replied, feeling sluggish from the fever. His words came out as a weak moan of protest.

"You _must_ eat." the queen urged him, "You need strength to fight off this flu."

"I don't wa-want to e-eat." Erwin repeated, "I'm. Fr-freez-zing."

Queen Zackly approached his bedside and placed the tray with soup on the bedside table. She clapped her hands together twice and one of her ladies-in-waiting immediately entered the room, carrying several blankets. "I'll give you a blanket for each bite of soup you take." she offered.

Erwin nodded, turning his face and opening his mouth. He didn't so much care for the food as he did for the blankets, desiring only warmth. He felt as if his body was frozen, as if he was in the depths of a cold hell. The queen fed him a spoonful of soup and even the boiling water felt icy to him. Her lady-in-waiting held her arms out and Queen Zackly took one off the pile. True to her word, she placed a blanket on the pile around him after he finished taking one bite. He took another two bites, gaining another two blankets, then shook his head and denied any more. "I want to sleep." he informed her, closing his eyes.

Queen Zackly frowned, then ran her hand through his hair, pushing his blonde bangs off his face. Despite saying he was freezing, the prince was fevered. She turned to her lady-in-waiting and ordered her out, then took the bowl of soup back to the kitchen. She took it to the wash basin, intending to clean it out, but the bowl slipped from her fingers and shattered on the floor.

"Your highness!" Carla cried out, "You shouldn't have to do that, here let me get it!"

Queen Zackly smiled sympathetically at Carla. "Oh, it's no big deal. I'm naturally just so clumsy. I can't help taking care of Prince Erwin; it reminds me of taking care of my own children." She stood up and smirked wickedly, looking down on Carla as the young woman bent down to pick up the pieces of the shattered bowl. "You know the feel, don't you dear? When your child is sick and you're stricken with worry that you'll lose them forever? I don't suppose you could imagine it, losing your son..." she paused, stopping mid-sentence as she stared over Carla's head at the green-eyed boy that was seated at the kitchen table. She glared at the child, then returned her gaze at Carla, before giving her a coy smile. "Thank you. I'm so sorry for making a mess."

Carla looked up from where she was picking up the shattered pieces of the bowl, watching the queen stare at her son and growing increasingly alarmed with what she was suggesting. When the queen looked back down at her, she smiled up at her forced her tone to remain sweet. "It's no problem, your highness. I'll take care of this."

"Thank you." Queen Zackly replied with a tone that implied she expected Carla to, then turned on heel and left the kitchen without another word.


	15. Chapter 15

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

 **Author's Note:** Usually, I do not write notes but I am excited to release this chapter. I wanted to take the opportunity to thank all my readers that have followed the story so far. For everyone that has left me comments and gave me kudos or favourite this story, I want to give you a tremendous thank you! It is really readers, such as yourself, that give me the motivation to continue with these long stories and I hope I can continue to bring you stories that you'll enjoy. This chapter in particular is going to have so much revealed and so much going on, but the story is far from over. This is probably the longest chapter to date, but I didn't want to divide it up and drag it out for my readers. I wanted to give you all a chapter that was packed with excitement and special moments between all these characters as a means to thank you for all the support and kind words and united fandom that you as readers have given me. Once more, thank you!

\- Witness

* * *

 **Chapter 15: March, 26th**

Captain Miche awoke early the next morning, quickly getting dressed in a clean uniform and making sure he was well groomed. He was in a hurry to catch King Smith at breakfast, intending to see if he would be able to have a private conversation because the Zackly's woke up and demanded to have their breakfast with him. He went over the well-rehearsed dialogue he had planned the night before, in which he would briskly but efficiently voice his concerns for Prince Erwin's undeniably declining health and the fact that he was in no condition to properly defend himself in the case of an emergency. He would implore that the king remove him from his duties as squad captain to look after prince Erwin, reminding him of his vows to be the prince's guardian and their longtime friendship.

Placing his faith in Carolina and the hope that she had spoken to King Smith yesterday about the idea of putting a guard on hand for Erwin's safety, Miche headed to the dinning room. Here the table was already being laid out with food and prepared for the arrival of royalty, although breakfast in Rose Kingdom was never seen as a royal event. Everyone would have to get up and eat at some point in the day, so breakfast was usually a quiet meal for anyone, the morning seen as a precious time to observe the quiet and beauty of the world. As Miche had hoped, King Smith was awake and in the dinning room, not yet seated at the table but speaking to one of the women that cooked in the castle kitchens regularly. He had been asking her about the bird outside the window ledge when Miche approached him, and had turned to face Miche with a sigh.

Their conversation was conducted in quiet whispers at the table, where Miche had stood off to the side as the king seated himself for breakfast. He mentioned waiting for King Zackly to arrive to share breakfast with him, mentioning that the Zackly's were rather bossy in their dealings and that he was taken aback by their entitled attitudes. The Sina royalty was respectful to himself and his wife, but he did notice how they expected breakfast to be served to them, rather than the self-service style of food presentation that Rose Kingdom preferred. They also were rude to the castle staff, often barking at their own servants, which they brought with them from Sina, to do menial tasks that they could have done themselves, such as holding up taking away cups or holding up their skirt hems. Miche was glad to hear the gossip. Not only did it give him insight into how King Smith was handling the visitors, but it helped him break down the king's attitude towards him standing by prince Erwin's room. King Smith had been attempting to take the tough-love approach towards Erwin's sickness, stating that placing a guard at the door would be babying him too much. But after much convincing, Miche had managed to persuade King Smith from this stance, reminding him that it was his only son, informing him that his condition was only worsening, and then blatantly stating that he didn't trust the Zackly's and Flagon's incompetence to keep his best friend alive. King Smith's eyes widened as Miche seemed to lose his hold on his temperament for a moment, clearly desperate to do all he could for prince Erwin, so silently he nodded and then verbally gave Miche his permission to leave his post as squad captain in order to stand guard and at Erwin's service for the entire day and night, until his son's condition began to improve. Miche nodded and took his leave from the breakfast table and, with permission of the king, headed to stand guard outside Erwin's door.

He had stopped by the kitchen and informed Carolina of his new post with a proud smile. She reached up and touched his cheek, glad for the turn of events in their favour. Clearly Miche had rekindled his confidence as a soldier now that he was once more serving Erwin, whether the prince willed it or not, and Erwin would be looked after by a trusted source. She cut open a bun and stuff it with fried fish and egg whites, then handed him a bottle of water and apple to take with him for breakfast. He had sat on a stool outside Erwin's door as he ate his breakfast, finding the dull corridor a boring sight, but he didn't waste his time sitting and staring into the emptiness. Taking the opportunity to investigate, Miche checked the wall outside Erwin's room door, ensuring that his private quarters was not susceptible to any kind of airborne pathogen or small projectile that could harm him, such as a poisonous gas or dart. Afterwards, he checked the frame of the door, pushing against the heavy covering to ensure that if the castle was stormed there was some strength to the structure guarding the prince. Once he had determined that Erwin was safe from any kind of external attack from the outside of his room, he sat back down on the stool and began to formulate a plan.

He wanted to ensure that since no one could harm him from the outside, that the people that got to go into his room to see Erwin would be of no harm to him. He would wait until afternoon to give a chance for a medic to come by, but if none came he would have no choice but to put out a call for one. Erwin had a preferred medic, Jaspar, that would treat him and his father, and Miche wanted to insist that he would be the only medic to see Erwin now; he could trust the man to not be the inside-source, but he wasn't sure if others in the medical wing would have been able to be corrupted by the raiders. He decided with the time in mind it would benefit both himself as an investigator and Erwin's recovery to record the names and times of those that came to see Erwin as soon as he could obtain a notepad for it.

With this record in mind, an hour later, he was surprised to discover the Sina queen and her tow of seven ladies-in-waiting heading towards Erwin's bedroom with a tray of food.

"Is our staff that dissatisfactory to make you bring the prince his food yourself?" Miche asked her, stopping her just outside Erwin's room. He was surprised that Carolina or Carla had not brought Erwin anything to eat yet.

Queen Zackly faltered at his question, then smirked at him and took it as a joke. "No, Rose kingdom is splendid, captain. It's just that, well, taking care of Prince Erwin makes me feel like...I didn't just lose _all_ my children in that accident."

Miche narrowed his eyes, trying to read the queen's face for any hint of a lie. It wasn't that he didn't believe her grief. It was that he just found it hard to believe her pity towards Erwin. Her voice had the same odd accent that Levi had, but for some reason it sounded grotesquely artificial from her, as if she was twisting her words in a manner that was unnatural in order to disturb those around her, and not because she was used to speaking another dialect. Her scent also bother Miche; she smelled sickly-sweet, like too much candy or sugar was added to her flowery perfume. It bothered his nose.

"Accident?" He picked up on the singular word. "Is that how the kingdom of Sina refers to as direct attacks on their royalty?"

Queen Zackly's red-painted mouth dropped open in shock and then she narrowed her eyes again. "It was a senseless...attack, that caused me to lose my babies, captain." she replied, her voice firm and clearly informed him that she felt scorned by his words. "To me, the entire thing was as preventable as an...accident."

Miche gave his head a shake and nodded, then pushed the door open, allowing her to pass. He didn't trust her, but he had no reason to not let her through. And he had already insulted her with his words. He made it clear that he didn't trust her and that he was watching her, and for that reason he couldn't risk being removed from his post in the case that she complained to King Smith about what he said to her. Since he couldn't deny her entry to see prince Erwin, he decided he would set a limit on the number of people allowed inside, figuring that would it help him keep watch over her interactions with the prince.

"Your ladies must wait outside," he informed her, "Prince Erwin isn't taking many visitors today."

Queen Zackly said nothing, but turned her face up at his remark. She nodded curtly twice, then headed inside on her own. Once inside prince Erwin's room, the queen approached Erwin's bedside, but the prince was still asleep. She left the food on the desk and left, unable to wake him with his personal guard watching her from just outside the door.

"Captain...Miche, is it?" she asked, looking up at him through her long lashes. Her dark hair fell in soft curls around her face and onto her full breasts, which she had on display in her low-cut dress.

"Michael." Miche corrected her, "Only my _friends_ call me Miche."

"Michael." She repeated, twisting the name to express her distaste at his standoffish attitude. "Well, _Mike_ , would you be so kind to inform me what happened to Captain Flagon?"

"He's still around, your highness." Miche bit out, trying not to let her words get to him. "But I've been stationed here by King Smith to make sure his son isn't disturbed while recovering."

The queen's lips twisted in a sneer and she rolled her eyes at Miche. "Why can't Captain Flagon do that? Isn't he Prince Erwin's personal guard?"

"Prince Erwin has many personal guards, your highness. He's a very valued individual here in Rose Kingdom." Miche informed her, choosing his words with great care to imply and only imply his opinion of her intelligence. "If you have any issues with my services, please bring it up to King Smith."

"I don't have any issues with your services, only with _you_." The queen scoffed at him and took her leave, ordering her ladies-in-waiting to follow her at once.

But that wasn't the last time that Miche encountered Queen Zackly that day. She came by Erwin's room again at lunch, bringing with her another tray of food, and entered Erwin's room without greeting Miche at all. The prince must still have been asleep, because she left the room shortly after dropping off the food. She handed her lady-in-waiting the breakfast tray. The bread was untouched but the glass of orange juice was empty and the soup had gone down a notably amount, so Erwin must've woken and eaten at some point earlier. The queen paused on her way out the door and cocked an eyebrow at Miche.

"Still here, are you?" She asked, "I thought your shift would be over by now."

"That wouldn't be proper, your highness. I haven't been given the order to leave my post."

"Ah, I see." she quipped, "I was just making sure _you've_ eaten. Can't guard the prince on an empty stomach."

"My stomach is of no concern to you, your highness." Miche replied easily, "I vowed to protect him with my life."

"Clearly." she replied, then turned on heel and left again.

Miche exhaled heavily, surprised that he had held his breath when she had been so close. He realized it must've been an unconscious strategy on his part to avoid breathing in her sickly-sweet scent rather than her actually intimidating him. He gave his head a small shake and shifted his feet; his toes felt numb from standing for so long so he took his seat again on the stool, having been alternating between sitting and standing for several hours at a time. H was beginning to feel cold in the hallway as the evening began to descend on them, but he refused to leave Erwin's door. Something about the queen unnerved him and the fact that she was Erwin's sole visitor was only more concerning.

As a castle maid headed down the hall, sent to collect something from one of the castle turrets for the king, Miche called out to her. He ordered her to have Carolina or Carla specifically bring him a tray of food from the kitchens. He emphasized that he wanted no one else to be involved in preparing the food or delivering it. He had to wait a period of time before Carla approached him with a tray bearing a small whole-wheat bun, a bowl of cod stew, and fresh fruit salad. She informed him that it was the same meal she prepared for the king and her husband to eat for lunch, as well as for her own son, Eren. She asked if he wanted her to send someone back for the tray, but he declined, deciding that he would use the items afterwards as props to annoy Queen Zackly if she came back to deliver Erwin his dinner. He took the opportunity to ask Carla why none of the castle staff had brought Erwin food, or why his step-mother - of all people - was not sent to check on how he was doing, but Carla had no answers. She shrugged and told him that she would ask her husband to ask the king to send Queen Smith to prince Erwin's side. Miche could only accept her answer and return to his duty.

Some time passed while Miche waited outside the silent room, his mind turning over Queen Zackly's peculiar behaviour. It was as Levi had mentioned before: the Zackly family was curt and entitled, at times downright rude. It made Miche question their credibility. It was entirely believable to him now that they did abuse their servants and ruled mercilessly, crazed with power. He smirked. If he could believe it, then others at the castle were sure to have been the victims of their bratty attitudes as well. And that would only increase the number of people that would believe Levi's account of them to be true. When the time came to put Levi on trial for his actions against the Royal Rose family, the Zackly's behaviour towards Rose Castle staff would only make Levi's account of the Zackly's more credible, and furthermore, would give weight to his reason to lie and leave about his identity, rather than confessing the truth after being mistaken as the prince.

The sound of heavy coughing broke through Miche's thoughts and without a second thought he turned and entered the room. He knew that at the start of his shift today he had told himself to call for a medic if one had not arrived by afternoon, and since he hadn't seen how the prince was doing, he was afraid to summon one for no reason. Prince Erwin had silently slept away most of the morning, and this was the first real sounds Miche heard from him. And they sounded brutal. Raspy breaths that dragged in air, the sound of hacking coughing, as if the prince were almost choking. The sound of his best friend suffering pushed aside any hesitation he had because of their previous disagreement, and he opened the door and stepped inside immediately.

Prince Erwin was propped up against a stack of pillows, his face pale and his lips turning blue. He coughed blood up into his hands, staring at the vivid red liquid in horror. Clearly from the expression on his face it was the first time that this had happened and he was shocked to find his condition worsening.

"Prince Erwin," Miche gasped, rushing to his side and handing him a handkerchief. "What's wrong?!"

"I- I'm bleeding," Erwin gasped, coughing between his words. "Pl-please! Fetch me- a-a medic!"His words were immediately interrupted by another cough, and this time he caught the blood he threw up into the handkerchief that Miche had given him.

"I'll send word for one right away." Miche affirmed. He headed to the prince's window and drew back the heavy wooden shutters. "You, Lance!" he called to the guard below. "Come up here at once! Urgently!"

He headed back to kneel beside the prince and press a hand to his forehead. "You're fevered!" He hissed, his eyes narrowing. "How long has it been?! Have you have seen a medic yet?! You have not seen Jaspar?"

"Q-Queen Zackly told me she would- she would call a medic." Erwin moaned, his eyes beginning to roll with the fever. Beads of sweat rolled down his face from temple to jaw, and yet he shivered and choked on the blood rising in his throat. "But I- I haven't seen any yet."

Miche took the handkerchief and wiped at Erwin's lips. "It's alright. I'm going to make sure we call the royal physician." he informed him, before attempting to lift him higher against the pillows so that that he would lean forwards and not have to swallow the blood rising in his throat. He hissed in alarm as he felt how swollen the lymph nodes under Erwin's arms were, and he quickly removed his hands from his armpits and attempted to lift him from the sides of his waist instead.

Erwin nodded weakly, unable to suppress a moan. "I feel on fire." he confessed, his voice a low whisper. "Is this Hell, Miche? Am I being punished for loving a liar?"

Miche sighed heavily and frowned, brushing Erwin's hair back and feeling just how sweaty his forehead was. "No, don't say such things, your highness." He struggled to prop Erwin up properly, as the prince kept leaning backwards or falling forwards. He settled on placing several pillows on prince Erwin's lap so that when he leaned forwards his head could rest on them and his back could remain upright. He then raised the bottom of Erwin's shirt to inspect his torso, surprised to see that the skin was swollen and a dark shade of blue. It didn't appear to be a large bruise; rather it was as if a dark snake was slithering under his skin, the darker colour following the twist and turns of his digestive tract. He gasped with shock at the discovery and his eyes narrowed in anger. He let the shirt back down and began to rub Erwin's back, attempting to make him feel some comfort despite all the pain.

Erwin frowned and looked up at Miche, then reached out to grab his wrist. "Forgive me, for being so short-tempered with you. You were only trying to make me happy."

Miche nodded professionally but his lips turned up and his dark eyes softened. "Of course, Erwin," he whispered urgently, "I understand-"

A movement in the doorway caused Miche to turn and draw his sword protectively, but it was only Lance arriving with two other subordinates. "We came as quickly as we could, Sir." Lance announced themselves.

"Good men!" Miche complimented them, replacing his sword in its sheath. "I need Jaspar right away! And as many assistance as possible!"

Lance nodded and turned to one of the men. "Fetch the royal physician! And bring two of the most senior medics!"

The man nodded and began sprinting towards the medical wing, clearly taking the request as urgently as he could.

"And don't stop for anyone or anything!" Miche shouted after him. He then turned his attention back to Erwin, watching him struggle to breath steadily. He looked around, thinking it would be best to change his clothes and possibly wash him, when the tray of food on the desk caught his attention.

"You, there." he called to the second subordinate. "Take that tray to barracks and ensure that no one eats from it! I don't want it being fed to even an animal, you hear! That's confiscated as royal evidence! Do _not_ contaminate it!" He ordered. He turned his attention to Lance when the man had taken the tray and left, "I want to speak to several people. Bring me Carolina, I want her assistance to wash the prince. And I'll need to speak to the king, urgently, please! Send me three more of your men, I know you can spare them. I want a watch over the prince, round the clock!"

Lance nodded, his eyes wide.

"And tell no one of any of this!" Miche ordered, "Not anyone but Carolina and King Smith!"

Lance nodded again, then saluted his captain. "Yes sir!" He was out the door in seconds, taking long strides at a quick pace, determined to find Carolina while remaining as unsuspicious as possible.

Miche turned to Erwin and smoothed the Prince's silky blonde hair off his forehead. "I'm going to have Carolina clean you up." He informed him, "and I don't want you seeing anyone else until you get better. Absolutely no visitors and that's final. Family only, and you know who that means."

Prince Erwin moaned but made no protest. He had the power to decline Miche's orders, but he knew that his friend cared deeply about him, and perhaps he saw things in a perspective that he himself simply couldn't at the time. His head felt heavy, his vision was foggy, and when he tried to nod, he collapsed against the pillows in his lap, utterly exhausted.

"God damnit! Where is that medic?!" Miche shouted towards the doorway.

Three of Lance's men had arrived outside the door. The tallest entered the room and stepped to stand beside the door, his hand on his sword hilt at his side. He had assumed the position to guard the prince from any physical threats that attempted to make their way into the room. The other two men stood on either side in the same stance on either side of the door outside the room. Their role was to act as guards to the prince to control an outward threat, as well as act as runners when necessary. No doubt all the commotion that Lance's squad moving about the castle suddenly would have attracted attention at some point, and a small crowd of staff had gathered outside prince Erwin's bedroom door, but they stayed outside to respect Erwin's privacy. The two guards that were stationed outside politely asked them to part so that Carolina may entered, then they closed the door behind her and stepped in front of the door.

"How is he? What's wrong?" she asked, her expression full of concern and fear. She voice was a higher pitch than Miche was used to hearing, and he knew it was because it was stressed with concern for the sudden urgent messages regarding the prince.

"He's throwing up blood." Miche informed her, "And I have more than enough reason to suspect poison."

"Poison?!" Carolina's eyes widened, her voice rising in surprise.

"The inside-source." Miche whispered, keeping his voice low enough to keep Erwin out of their conversation, even though he was sure the prince was beyond the point of being able to keep up with their quick words even if he attempted to. "They're trying to kill the Prince without raising any suspicions."

"Poison." Carolina repeated, this time in a tone of wonderment. "Of course. If Levi hadn't alerted us to the presence of an inside-hit-man, we would've never suspected a thing."

Miche nodded. "And I know who it is." he uttered, "Poison - a woman's weapon. She wore thick, sweet perfume to keep me from smelling the dangers that she brought him on his food trays; she knows my strength of smell and she turned it into my weakness. I know it's Queen Zackly that has been poisoning prince Erwin!"

"You can't be serious!" Carolina gasped. "Queen Zackly?!"

"Levi did say they were cruel to him. As a servant, he must have some inside-information on how they live their lives." Miche's hands curled into fists as he spoke, trusting his intuition as he had when he first met Levi. The image of the boy hanging out of the carriage window, the bruises and blood that covered his face and body, the scar on his temple from the metal crown being damaged and digging into his flesh, the injury to his foot that caused him to limp around for days in pain, made his anger rise to violent levels towards the Zackly's. And that wasn't all that they had done to the boy, that wasn't even the beginning. "The prince himself told me he requested Queen Zackly to bring him a medic, that he still hasn't seen one. She was the only person that has come to visit him all day! There was no guards in here, none outside, no word on his state of being. She brought him trays of food - one of which I have confiscated as evidence. And she had become aggressive with me earlier, requesting that I leave my post at his door. It all seems very suspicious, especially in consideration of his worsening condition."

Carolina nodded and pursed her lips, imagining all the things Levi had seen done under the order of the Zackly's, and hoping that nothing to this level had been done to him as well.

"I called for Jaspar and a team of medics." Miche explained to her, breaking through her thoughts. "I was hoping you could clean Erwin up a bit. I know it's not much, but perhaps a change of clothing would alleviate him of some discomfort, even if just a little. But I should warn you, he's not in a condition that seems healthy at all. His body is...very unwell."

Carolina nodded. She was going to reply when a knock at the door announced the arrival of the royal physician. Miche nodded at the man standing guard and he tapped the door twice, before he opened it and let in Jaspar and his team. The physician immediately stepped in and ordered for the bedding to be pulled down so he could examine the prince's body for any blemishes or swelling. At once the order was fulfilled by Carolina, at the same time the door was closed by the two guards standing outside.

"His lymph nodes are swollen, as is his abdomen. And his stomach is blue. I don't recommend lying him on his backside since he's been throwing up blood. I have reason to suspect he has been poisoned several times over the last few days." Miche informed him, stating the prince's condition out loud for all in the room to hear. "Please, if you could give me any timeframe for his condition..." he didn't finish his sentence, his voice becoming thick with emotions. He simply said nothing, only rising his head enough so that his bangs parted and the agony in his eyes would speak the words that he was unable to bring himself to say.

"Let's hope it won't come to that." Jaspar replied coolly, the aged doctor trying to keep the roomful of castle staff calm. "How many doses has he been given, would you say?"

"Three a day or more, for approximately four days." Miche calculated, "At least a dozen doses. It must've been slipped in his food or drink since the night after the ball." He lowered his voice and murmured to Carolina, "When the Zacly's first arrived."

Jaspar nodded and Miche withdrew to give him room to work. A knock at the door sounded, a hard but urgent thud that Miche understood was not done by the guards. He nodded at Carolina, leaving her in charge of overseeing the prince, then headed outside to speak to the king. The small audience of staff that had gathered outside the door had been ushered away. Only the king remained, standing in the middle of the hallway, his hands behind his back.

King Smith glared at Miche the moment he appeared from the other side of the door, furious that he had created such a commotion in the castle.

"It had to be done," Miche informed him, before King Smith could say anything at all. "Prince Erwin's condition has worsened. He's beginning to throw up blood."

The king's eyes widened in disbelief and he pressed a hand to his own mouth, biting on his bent index finger. "My son-" he mumbled, clearly distressed by this news. His eyes wavered and filled with tears. It was clear that he had been holding in his emotional concern for Erwin, spending his days convinced that he was only sick with a mild flu. Years ago, it had been 'a mild flu' that had turned for the worse and taken Eleanor away from him. As a result, everyone in the castle knew that King Smith handled his sickness in the castle with the guise of indifference, locking his emotions away and convincing himself that the tragedy that took his wife from him would never repeat in his home again. Now, since Erwin was on death's door because of an illness, King Smith lost his carefully controlled composure, and allowed himself to express the worry that he had been silently harbouring for days.

Miche understood this emotional burden on the king, but he pressed on, determined to reason with the king about his suspicions of the royal Sina family. "I have reason to believe the Sina royal family has been poisoning Prince Erwin." he confessed, his voice full of concern, confidence, and professional deliverance.

"The Zackly's? How?!" The king looked horrified, "Their servant?!" he asked, barely able to form a comprehensive sentence.

Miche wanted to _roll_ his eyes but resisted, understanding that King Smith would want to validate any reason he had to keep Levi imprisoned and away from his son. "No, your highness. It was actually their servant that informed us to look out for an inside-assassin, having discovered this information by accident when he was attempting to run for his life from our castle. He returned - risking his own life to save your son's - to inform prince Erwin of this. After a day's worth of investigation, and with sound evidence to back up my case, I have valid reason to believe the person poisoning Prince Erwin is Queen Zackly herself."

"Queen Zackly?!" King Smith repeated, his voice full of confusion. "You mustn't let them hear you say such things! They could-"

"They could _what_?!" Miche asked, cocking his head to the side and sneering at King Smith, his voice dropping to a low growl. A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes, lit by the glow of anger that rushed through him as he realized just how manipulative the Zackly's were. "This is _our_ kingdom, my liege, not their's! I know it's bold for me to say, but they do not seem to understand that an alliance does _not_ mean we are subservient to them. When they come here, they should respect our culture, customs, and rule. They have done _none_ of that since they time they arrived, insulting even you in front of your own staff! I will _not_ sit idly by and continue to serve them when I have proof that they wreck havoc on my home and kingdom and endanger my charge and friend!"

King Smith nodded and for the first time in days he seemed to regain his authority. He exhaled heavily and squared his shoulders, and Miche was amazed to see his king look so confident again. He had forgotten how King Smith looked prior to the Zackly's arrival, their daily interactions with the man wearing him down so that he appeared under-confident and weak. Now, his bright blue eyes were lit up with the fire of justice and the tenderness of love, and darted to look at the door behind Miche's shoulder. "It's true." He stated, his gaze returning to Miche's eyes. "They have been stepping all over us since they arrived. And now I see, strugglingly to impress them has made no difference to both our political outcome and our personal lives. What do you suggest we do?"

"Keep guard on Prince Erwin's room. I want Carolina put in charge of his well-being and - most importantly - his food, everything from preparation to delivery. I trust _her_. No visitors, except us: direct family and seasoned, trusted physicians of the royal medical team. The prince goes in lockdown until his condition improves and stabilizes."

"Very well." King Smith nodded again. His eyes filled with a look of understanding and insight, as though he realized something he overlooked before. "And the prisoner?" He asked, knowing but not understanding why Levi was on great importance to Miche.

"Hold him. We won't start the trial against him until Prince Erwin has recovered."

"And the queen?"

Miche heaved a sigh and then gave King Smith a wicked smirk. "Leave the queen to me."

* * *

Carolina was quiet as she cleaned up the prince in the presence of the doctors. They had examined him, taking off his shirt and feeling along the dark bruising. They watched the discoloured skin ripple as though a beast were inside him, travelling along his insides as he coughed and threw up blood. Despite his pain, the prince seemed dazed, as if he couldn't quite comprehend what was happening around him as the doctor took his pulse and listened to his heart. Carolina waited for the doctors to finish touching Erwin, waiting for their permission before she began to wash him with towels, just as she had washed Levi in the dungeons the day before. Her expression became strained with concern as she observed his swollen lymph nodes and blueing skin-tone. With the medics overseeing her as she worked, and assisting her by lifting the prince into a seated position for her to wash his back, she found it was impossible to attempt to speak to him privately about Levi or Queen Zackly. After she finished washing him, she produced a clean shirt and pair of baggy shorts for him to wear, made of a light fabric that she hoped would help with alleviating his fever.

Voices outside the door caught her attention when she had been intending to leave the room. Instead of leaving, she pressed her ear against the door, listening to what was being said and tried to identify the people speaking.

"Prince Erwin is having no visitors." Miche was informing someone. From his strict tone of voice Carolina guessed it was Queen Zackly, returning yet again.

"But I've brought him his dinner." The queen argued. "He must eat to regain his strength."

The sound of cutlery tinkling was heard as the tray was taken from the queen and handed off to one of the guards Miche had flanking him on either side to completely block the doorway. "Prince Erwin is with the royal physician. He will eat what he instructed to by the doctor, when the doctor recommends it."

Carolina heard a sharp intake of breath, and could visual how the queen's pale hands tighten into fists, as they had whenever she had been displeased by the Rose castle staff.

"Of c-course." the queen bit out, unable to argue with Miche on the matter of the doctor. "Anything to- to make him better." There was a sickening tone to her voice that wasn't part of a natural sweetness. Her words had been marred by the lack of sincerity and concern that any compassionate person would have. Having spat out the only words that would make sense to reply with, she turned on heel and left, not noticing that King Smith had hidden himself in another doorway further down the hallway to avoid having to interact with her.

The moment she was gone, King Smith approached Miche. "I came to see my son. I managed to clear my schedule for the evening with suitable excuses to avoid the Zackly's. Grisha will be distracting Darrius in my stead. I want to spend some time with my son."

Miche was waving instructions to the guard holding the tray of food Queen Zackly had brought up, instructing him to take it to the barracks with the other tray he had confiscated as evidence earlier today. He nodded at the king's words. "I'll have-"

Carolina pulled the door back and looked at Miche, then the king, and back to Miche. "My apologies." She whispered to them, "I didn't mean to interrupt. It's just, prince Erwin is washed and changed, so I'll be taking my leave now." She smiled sweetly at them, in a way only an elderly mother could when speaking about her child. "Jaspar wants him to rest for now, he's going to stay with him. I'll bring everyone dinner in an hour."

Miche nodded. He reached out and caught her wrist as she began to walk away. "You wouldn't mind going and checking in on the prisoner?" he asked, his voice low. He didn't want his request to be heard by the king, so his words were barely a whisper.

Carolina nodded, mostly having to read Miche's lips to understand what he had said. She guessed from his quiet speech the request had something to do with Levi, and she was concerned about the smaller man herself. "Yes, don't worry Miche. Me and my daughter will prepare the dinner for the prince and his family." she agreed in a whisper loud enough to carry to the king. She turned to face King Smith and smiled sweetly again, "Perhaps I'll send her up to clean up a bit for prince Erwin while I get started on gathering the ingredients? It might help him feel better?" She nodded twice, reading the worry and appreciation towards her in King Smith's eyes, then headed to the steps of the tower, taking them slowly to head back to the ground floor.

* * *

Unseen by the old maid, Queen Zackly stormed around the ground floor of the castle, heading to the kitchen. Once inside, she slammed her hands down on the counter, upending the cutting board and all the food scraps on it. She screamed loudly, cursing Miche for remaining so persistent in guarding the prince, even when he was ordered to no longer directly serve the blonde. Her ladies-in-waiting all held their breaths, scared to say anything that would cause the queen to behave irrationally - although, she was already behaving poorly, and rather recklessly.

A noise from the other side of the kitchen caught their attention as the figure of a little boy crawled out from under the table. He stepped forwards, his bright green eyes narrowed in suspicion at the queen, before he wiped his face with his forearm. "You're saying bad words." He uttered, glaring at the queen. "You shuddn't say those words. Espess-ally 'bout Capt'ain Miche."

The queen's eyes narrowed as she looked at the boy before her, recognizing her as the servant girl's son. "And you," she began, smoothing the skirt of her dress on her hip and adjusting her crown on her head, " _shouldn't_ be spying on a lady."

"I'm not spy-ing! You shuddn't be in the kit-chen." Eren retorted, his tone of voice full of surprise and confidence. "Yurr a no-bull. You don't be-long back here. I'm where I shud be."

The queen's eyes widened at the child's response. If she were in her own kingdom she would have slapped him across the face and had him flogged in front of his parents for speaking to her in such a manner. Instead, she place a hand on her chest, feigning surprise. "My! What a mouth you have on you!"

"And what a tem-per you have." Eren remarked back. "Your high-ness."

The queen's eyes narrowed and she bit her lower lip, trying to calculate the child's intentions. She had to be careful with how she interacted with him, since she knew he had the ability to inform his parents about what he had seen. Since he was the son of the hand of the king, the child would have some weight to his words. The thought of parents gave her an idea.

"Sometimes mommies-" she began, hoping to play to his childish affection for his mother.

"My mum never throws tantrums." Eren shot her down immediately, seeing through her attempts at being maternal. "And yurr not a mummy."

The queen's eyes widened and her mouth fell open in shock, the boy's words hitting her harder than either of them expected. Behind her, her servants all inhaled audibly, concerned that the boy had overstepped himself and pushed their master to lose her control on her temper.

"No more." Eren continued, "Your kids died."

The ladies-in-waiting all gasped, surprised that the boy would tell the queen such a blunt fact. Their voices all became a quiet throng of whispering, planning on what to do if their queen decided to assault the child.

"H-How-How _dare_ you!" The queen stammered, "What a _rude_ thing for a little boy to say!" She stalked forwards, her hands curling in fists and her expression twisted with anger. The boy began to head towards the door that led outside and into the backyard, reading the signs of danger, when the queen reached out and grabbed his arm.

"You're _never_ going to speak to me that way ever again!" She hissed, squeezing his forearm tightly, "You insolicent, stupid-"

"Help! Mum! Gramma!" The boy suddenly started calling out, "Daddy! Help!"

The queen released him immediately, fearing his screams would bring witnesses into the room. The minute the child was free of her grip, he turned and raced around her, heading towards the hallway that led back into the heart of the castle.

"Go!" She hissed at him, turning to watch him run off. "If you tell anyone, I'll-"

"I'm telling!" The boy turned and shouted at her, cutting her off. His green eyes narrowed in a similar way Levi's would when he was younger, with his cheeks pinching up near his nose to give him a daring smirk, "I'm telling _every one_." He stated in a low voice that made him appear strangely older than he was, before running out of the kitchen to find his mother.

* * *

Carolina had just began to descend the stairs down to the ground floor of the castle when she heard Eren crying out for his father downstairs. She desired to go to him, and if this was any other ordinary day at the castle, she would. Usually, she could give him some of her time to help him with finding his father. But it wasn't a normal day in the castle. She was needed elsewhere and the boy needed to learn some independence. She adored him and dotted on him, but he would have to learn to grow up without her coddling him every step of the way. And he was such a smart young boy already, able to speak and entertain himself well beyond his years. With this confidence in her grandchild, she began to descend the staircase from the north-west wing of the castle towards the grand main floor, which would place her just behind the throne room, with the intention to head to the dungeons to check on Levi as Miche had asked her to.

She had been surprised King Smith hadn't intervened with Miche's requests about guarding Erwin or taking control of the Zackly's situation, since he was known amongst the castle staff as being overprotective and critical of plans that hadn't been thought up by himself or his advisor. However, she was sure that the king trusted Miche's judgment on the matter of his son's health. The captain of the guard had never failed them in any of his plans before, and she was sure that his closeness to the prince was not to be questioned by anyone, even the prince's own father. So it made sense that the king would have agreed to whatever it was Miche was preposing.

She took the stairs carefully, feeling her age as the stress of the situation weighed down on her, and began to plan her dialogue for what to say to Captain Hanji, who was the guard for Levi at this hour. Once at the bottom, she glanced up to make sure she wasn't being watched, then around herself to make sure Queen Zackly hadn't linger, before she headed to the dungeons. She almost wished to have a guard of her own, even one of the younger recruits to accompany her around the castle, afraid that the young Queen would stop at nothing to harm prince Erwin - including attacking the ones helping him recover.

Her thoughts had been on her surroundings and watching out for the queen, so she was surprised when her grandson grabbed her hand, rushing over out of breath. She was going to turn him away and was halfway into saying his name, when she turned and caught the look in his eyes. "Eren?" She questioned him, then reached down to lift him into her arms and hold him against her chest. "Good heavens. What's wrong, child?"

"Queen Zack-ly." He gasped, "She came in the kit-chen-"

"The queen? Okay, okay. And?" Carolina asked, suddenly afraid for her grandson. She began to brush his hair out of his eyes, trying to calm him down.

"She was ang-ry-"

"I know this is really important, Eren." She began, cutting him off. "But we need to find your father and tell him right away."

Eren nodded, "Where?" He began to ask. "Gramma, my arm hurts."

Carolina's eyes narrowed and she touched the boy's arm. "Your arm?" She asked, beginning to look around. Usually she would ask him where it hurt and kiss it, but she knew that this was too urgent to calm the boy with her usual affection. She needed someone she trusted to assist them, and she still needed to ensure that the queen hadn't gone after another vulnerable young man - Levi. She paused when she spotted Lance, one of the guard's Miche was close to and had helped with prince Erwin. "Lance!" She called out to him, "Lance, I require your assistance."

The man jogged over to her, surprised to be summoned. "I was on my way to the prince's room." He began explaining to her once he was close enough to drop his voice, "I was told Miche was looking for me by your daughter-"

"How fitting." Carolina smiled, "Can you help me locate Grisha?" she asked, "Or, rather, can you take his son to him? Please, this is important. He's just been injured."

Lance noticed the urgency in her strained smile and nodded, reaching out to take the boy from her. He cradled Eren against his chest and hugged him close, surprised that the small child wrapped one arm around his shoulders immediately and buried his small face in the groove of his neck. "I'll make sure it gets done, ma'am." he nodded. "We'll find Grisha and then I'll report to Miche right after."

"Thank you." she replied, her voice full of gratitude and relief. "Go with Lance, honey. He'll help you find daddy." she spoke to Eren, watching the boy instantly cling to the soldier. As soon as Lance turned and began to head towards the throne room with Eren, she turned her attention back to getting to the dungeons as quickly as possible. It was now even more pressing that she checked on how Levi was doing.

* * *

Queen Zackly watched the small boy run out of the kitchen, her fists curling and uncurling with frustration and anger. She turned to face her ladies-in-waiting, her lower lip trembling with fear. "He'll tell." she whispered, her face pale, "He'll tell...and then...then...and then..." She made to go after the boy, growling lowly in the base of her throat.

"Your highness!" one of her ladies called, stepping out of line, intending to follow her. The girl suddenly fell silent, not having expected to have reacted to the queen's actions so suddenly. She held her breath and looked down, instantly regretting stepping out of line. Now that she had done something without being told to, she would have given the queen reason to reprimand her - and most likely take all her anger out on her.

"No!" The queen barked, turning on her, and pointing a finger in her face. "No." She stated, breathing heavily to calm herself down. "You cannot-" She fell silent and looked back at the hallway, watching the way the young boy had gone and then turned back to look at her lady-in-waiting. "I have an idea."

"What will you-" the lady began asking, visibly terrified by the potential punishment that she had brought upon herself.

The queen hummed, looking down her nose at the lady, watching a blush spread across the young lady's cheeks. "It's not what _I_ will do." she began, coyly smiling, "It's what _you_ will do, my dear."

* * *

Once she was sure her grandson was safe, Carolina returned her attention to visiting Levi. Her previous anticipation over what to say to Captain Hanji returned, and as she carefully made her way down the narrow steps to the dungeon she debated what excuse would be fit for her to see the boy again. However, when she arrived at the cell door, her anticipation proved to be unnecessary. Captain Hanji yawned and sighed as Carolina approached, murmuring that he was hungry and tired.

"Nanaba needed me to cover his shift, so I've been here eighteen hours." Hanji explained. "It almost feels like _I'm_ the prisoner at this point." He lamely joked.

"When is Nanaba expected to return?" Carolina asked, sympathy in her voice as she looked down at the guard seated on the ground by the door of Levi's cell.

"Soon. An hour probably. Or less. I would ask for them to send a substitute but King Smith ordered me and Nanaba only."

"I can watch Levi for an hour, I was sent to check on his medical state of being - last time I saw him he was nearly fainted from malnourishment."

Hanji looked up at Carolina, his brown eyes naturally narrowed from a lack of sleep. "You would do that? I feel like I should decline."

"You look ready to fall on your face."

"I _feel_ ready to fall on my face." Hanji replied, rubbing his eyes with his fingertips.

"Go grab some food and then head to bed." Carolina instructed him, patting his shoulder. "I'll look after Levi, he's probably just sleeping anyways."

Lucky him, getting to sleep while I'm never dead out here watching him. Tell you what, we should check." Hanji mumbled, "If he's asleep, I'll take off an hour early, but you'd have to stay here until Nanaba returns. I would really appreciate it, Carolina."

Carolina nodded. "Alright. Let's take a peek, shall we? Hopefully you can go rest with a clear conscious then."

Inside his cell, Levi hadn't been sleeping. At Carolina's words, he closed his eyes. He had been slumped over and lying on his side in the makeshift bed of straw anyway, so when they looked in his cell he appeared to be genuinely sleeping.

"See?" Carolina pressed, "Sound asleep."

Unseen by Levi, Hanji nodded and stifled a yawn behind his hand. "Alright, then. But I shall see if I can send Nanaba down early. I don't want you wasting your time doing our work."

Carolina nodded, glad that Hanji had agreed to leave. She watched the soldier slowly walk to the end of the hallway, observing how even completely exhausted he was able to carry himself with elegance and decipline. "Levi," she whispered through the door the moment Hanji had vanished, "Are you awake?"

Levi sat up. The skin under his eyes appeared dark, as if he hadn't slept in days, and the rest of him appeared paler. He was shirtless, his slender body dirty and hollow looking, and he had been chained to the wall by his wrists again.

Carolina made a 'tsk' sound with her tongue as she fumbled with the keys, twisting them in the lock before entering the cell and beginning to unlock the shackles from around his hands. "Who tied you up again?" She asked.

"Hanji." Levi mumbled, "He didn't feed me breakfast either."

"Nanaba has?"

Levi shook his head. "Before yes, but not today. I had some lunch though. Hanji did bring me a piece of bread."

"Good of him." she breathed, though it wasn't clear which of the guards she was referring to. "I'll find you some food."

Levi nodded, then reached out and grasped her wrist to catch her attention. "Prince Erwin." he gasped, his voice raspy since his throat was dry. "How is Prince Erwin?"

Carolina exhaled heavily and didn't meet Levi's sharp eyes, scared he would be able to read everything in her own. She picked up his shirt from the floor and began to dress him with it. "He's...not well."

"Is he... _dying?_ " Levi asked after shrugging into his shirt, his voice cracking on the single word.

Carolina nodded, covering her mouth with her hand. "He's...Miche has been watching over him."

Levi's expression was a mixture of relief and disappointment. Carolina risked glancing at him and felt her chest constrict with pain at the look of horror that was written on his face. Suddenly his eyes narrowed and he pinned Carolina with his gaze. "Who was looking after him before Miche?" He demanded, "You know. Tell me who it was."

Carolina held her breath. She closed her eyes to avoid his probing visual search, then turned and sighed softly. "Queen Zackly," she breathed, "was looking after him."

Levi's exhale was a hiss of air. His eyes narrowed and he forced himself to his feet. "I need to go to him." he muttered, "I need to see him. I need-" he paused, stopping just before Carolina's hand wrapped around his wrist. He turned to face her, his mouth dropped open in shock. As soon as his feet had touched the floor and he had stood up, he had felt thrown back in time, memories cutting off all his thoughts. He felt as though his soul was thrown from his body into his memories, forcing him to relive the raid on the carriage from when it started, to the pickaxe in his foot, to falling down the gulley with Len and Lana, until he could see the face of the tall, skinny, dark-haired raider in his mind, turning his back on the burning carriage and walking away."That bitch." he uttered, "I know who the raiders are!"

Before the old woman could utter a sound in response to his words, he rushed forward with a speed unpredictable to a man in his status and slammed the door shut behind himself, twisting the key in the lock. "I'm doing this to protect you!" He growled, cutting off her surprised protests, then threw the keys across the hallway. "Stay quiet, please!" He begged, then turned and pressed his back against the dungeon wall.

He looked around the dungeons, surprised to find himself outside the cell and back on his feet. He felt dizzy, as if he was walking in a dream, but he forced himself to move towards the exit. He had to get out before Nanaba arrived to discover he had escaped his cell.

He had gotten to the stairway leading down to the dunegons from the main floor of the castle when he heard shouting coming from upstairs. He stilled, his body freezing with his hand still reaching out for the railing, and held his breath. The voices sounded hostile and familiar, and it took him a moment to realize where he had heard them before. Once he did, he took the stairs two at a time, taking the dull ache from the wound in his foot as a grim reminder of the men who he recognized that were now raiding Rose Castle.

Upstairs in the main hall, a vicious battle had begun playing out. Several of the castle guards were injured and retreating, while others were pressing forwards and attempting to hold the raiders at bay. Levi gathered the queen must have called for the raiders to come and finish what she started after Miche began to guard Erwin's room and prevent her from killing the prince herself. He knew the raiders were afraid of Miche, but he also knew that they would have the element of surprise against the rest of the Rose castle guards. They also had the advantage of Miche being distracted by Erwin's declining health. And they also had the queen's brother - Nile Dok - who was once the most skilled swordsman in all of Sina Kingdom, leading them. Nile had been Captain of their regiment back home, until he had been let go from his post when King Zackly wanted to promote a man of his own lineage. Nile Dok - the tall, skinny, black-haired raider that had accidentally caused the carriage to catch fire - would be excited to test his skills against Miche, and Levi was worried that would leave Erwin completely and helplessly defenceless.

He hurried towards Erwin's room, running beside the wall and hoping that no one from either army noticed him or engaged him in battle. He picked up a sword from a fallen guard as he ran, reacting on instinct but later thinking it would be best to have some way to defend himself and Erwin once he reached him. A retching sound caught his attention, stopping him mid-stride, and he turned his attention to the back of the throne room, where he saw Erwin attempting to fight the three fat raiders alongside Miche. They were all profile to Levi, and he watched with his heart pounding against his ribs as the fat men attempted to assault Erwin and Miche with their clubs and pickaxe.

Miche side-stepped the axe at the same time he threw his arm out so that his sword intercepted the clubs aimed at Erwin, whose drugged body was too slow to dodge the attacks properly. Levi bit back a growl watching the sight; at the rate this battle was going, the raiders would split Miche and Erwin apart, since Miche was the only capable fighter against them. Then they would be able to press their advantage by distracting Miche enough to hurt him, all the while harming Erwin. An intense desire to protect Erwin tore through his conscious and caused his body to feel charged with a new burst of energy that ignored his physical body and enraged his very soul. Levi raced forwards, stepping between Erwin and the fat men, and deflected the next attack with the flat of his blade. His block had been charged with so much energy that he was able to push back against the man's weapon and counter-attack him in the same motion.

"Levi?!" Miche greeted him with surprise, "What are you doing here?!"

"I came to defend the Prince!" Levi replied, his eyes never leaving his targets. He seemed to glow with an unnatural aura of determination, holding the hilt of the sword in two hands and using his entire body weight to fight off the larger men's attacks.

Miche nodded, attempting to work with Levi to push the three men back and away from the prince. With the small man by his side, they were able to keep their assailants in a line and away from Erwin, without risking splitting up and leaving any of themselves exposed to a lethal attack. The entire courtroom seemed to be a large game of tug-of-war, with the king's guards attempting to push back the army of raiders.

"Look for Nile Dok!" Levi shouted to Miche, "The tall, skinny bastard with dark hair! He's the queen's brother, and he's the one responsible for the raid!"

"Nile Dok?" Miche grunted, pushing back the man attacking him. "But we arrested the tall, skinny raider two days ago!"

"That's not the right one!" Levi hissed, falling back as the two men both struck out at him at the same time. He fell against Erwin, pushing him further back in an attempt to keep him safe, temporarily retreating rather than take a risk in fighting. He was already injured, so his assistance towards the prince and his primary guard were limited.

Miche gave a loud cry and jumped between the two men and Levi, grabbing the man's club and pushing back with all his might. The first man fell back. The second sneered and swung at Miche, but his attack was deflected by Levi's blade as the small man quickly recovered. It was the man with the pickaxe that Miche was originally engaged with that managed to land a hit, sinking the tip of the axe into Miche's lower back.

Miche cried out in pain, before turning and wrenching the pickaxe out of the man's hands with a strength unknown to himself. The man's eyes widened with fear as he realized he was disarmed by the man he had just stabbed, and for a moment it was obvious he debated to abandon the fight and run away. Miche pulled the pickaxe out with one hand, his other still holding his sword. The man turned and began to run to the door as fast as his fat legs could carry him. Miche pulled his arm back and threw the pickaxe at the man's back, his lips pulling up in a twisted smirk as the blade of the axe sunk into the fat man's back with a low thump, coming to a deep rest in between the man's shoulder blades. The man fell to the ground and twitched once before becoming motionless, his eyes remaining open and fixed on the doors that would have been his escape from the castle and the fighting.

Levi wasn't able to watch Miche's heroic execution. He had ducked to avoid the second man's club, then used his shoulders to shove the man back in an awkward grapple. Immediately after, he was forced deflected the first man's club, having to hold his own blade with both hands in order to stop the man's attack. He shoved the man back, then landed a kick at his liver to push him away from himself and Erwin. He turned back to the second man, and was startled to find him groaning with the effort it took him to gather his strength for a heavy attack, holding his club above his head, mid-swing as he aimed for Levi's head. Levi breathed in deeply, unable to close his eyes as he anticipated the blow, only to find Erwin's sword appear through the man's stomach from behind. The prince had stabbed right through him, stopping him from hitting Levi when the smaller man's back was turned.

Levi turned to grin at Erwin, his heart fluttering at the man's bravery and determination, but found the prince had slumped against the wall, gasping for breath due to the effort it took him to kill the raider. Levi bit his lip, wanting nothing more than to stay by his side, but turned around just in time to find the first man attempting to swing at the back of his head. He dodged by ducking down, then landed a kick at the man, and was startled by the spray of blood that covered him as Miche slashed the man's throat open from behind with a large hunting knife.

"Nobody move!" Queen Zackly shouted, her shrill voice was full of authority and rang out over the resonating battle in the courtroom.

And just as suddenly as the queen had shouted, the courtroom was quiet. Every soldier - guard or raider - stopped fighting, and stood frozen in place, watching the queen intently.

"Give me the prince, and I let the king go!" Queen Zackly held King Smith to her body in a chokehold with a four-inch dagger pressed against his neck. From his position, on his knees with his upper body stretched upwards and his hands attempting to keep her from choking him with her arm, King Smith appeared defenceless against the queen. He struggled to draw breath, his gasping the only audible sound that could be heard throughout the room.

For a moment the atmosphere in the courtroom felt tight and restricted, as if breathing too loudly would result in the king's death. Then all the soldiers began to look amongst each other, trying to determine who it was that would lift them from their sudden predicament. Miche made a noise of distaste, but made no attempt to move. Levi watched him, wondering what the captain of the army would do. When he seemed to have no answer, Levi turned his attention to the queen. He glanced from Queen Zackly to Prince Erwin, then back to the queen. He made up his mind to break the silence, and very deliberately, slowly stepped between the queen and the prince, taking his time to ensure every person in the room watched him stand against her. He picked up a second sword from the fallen soldier just off to the side of him, and lowered his head, glaring at her through his sweaty, dark black bangs.

"If you want him, you'll have to get through _me_."

Though he spoke low and his voice was barely a dry whisper, he knew the entire courtroom heard him. He held one sword out in front of himself, the blade angled to protect his chest, while he flipped the second around in his hand, holding the hilt backwards so the blade angled away from himself, towards his back.

The queen watched him, her dark eyes narrowing and a scowl of disgust twisted her lips into a snarl.

"Very well then." She hissed, her words coated in a venom of hatred towards the boy. "I can't deny I looked forwards to this day for a long time. Nile!"

As if on cue, a man that bore the same narrow, lifeless features of the queen stepped out of the crowd like a spider with a smug grin on his thin lips. His long dark hair was swept back off his face, his long, skinny limbs clad in a heavy, dark material, and his bright eyes flashed with the same look of self-appointed importance as when he had argued with the raiders before the carriage caught fire.

Levi inhaled sharply, and he braced himself for the fight. Nile was formidable, having years of experience as the leader of the Sina army, armour that would lower the damage of his attacks, and the advantage of knowing all of Levi's injuries. But he knew to surrender now would mean allowing Prince Erwin to be killed. And he wasn't going to stand down and let that happen. Levi's fingers tightened around the hilts of his swords, his veins throbbed with the pressure of his racing blood, and he nodded curtly once, accepting Nile's challenge with determination. His mind was made up; he was going to kill this man and then all of the raiders that would attempt to harm the prince. He braced himself for impact, his muscles bunching up as he prepared to attack, when he was blocked from Nile's approach by Miche's large body.

"I think you'd much rather prefer to fight me." he growled, his naturally low voice hitting a deep bass tone. He drew his sword from his sheath, the long blade being drawn out making an ominous ringing noise that echoed loudly throughout the courtroom. He had placed his sword in his belt to free his hands so that he could tie a portion of cloth torn off his cape around his mid-section as a makeshift tourniquet, preparing to fight to the death to protect his charge and best friend, Erwin.

Nile's lips stretched into a cheshire grin and he nodded, looking Miche up and down. "If it isn't Mike Zacharias, in person." he spoke mockingly, lacing his words with disrespect. "I have heard a lot about you."

"I can't say the same about you." Miche smirked, "So I suppose that means you'll be an easy opponent."

Nile's responding laugh was wheezy and dry. "I much prefer to keep my reputation under wraps, but I certainly have one."

"On the wrong side of justice, I see."

Levi watched them circle in front of him, almost dancing to the right, then left. Miche didn't allow any room for Nile to slip past him and pull a fast one against Levi and Erwin, and Levi stood his ground in front of the prince, prepared to defend him should any gaps appear in the fight before him. He knew Miche was honourable, but he knew the Sina army to be just as dishonest as the royalty they served. Still, it was a beautiful sight to see two skilled swordsmen preparing to face off. If it wasn't between two rivals that were prepared to fight to the death, it would have been elegant to watch them battle, breathtaking even.

Nile mockingly laughed again, marring the beauty of their sparring with his twisted voice, then spat at the ground in front of Miche.

Miche's cheek twitched with annoyance.

Without warning the men charged towards each other, a loud clang resonation throughout the room as their swords struck against each other's and deflected by the sudden opposing force. They grunted, then stepped back, and suddenly sprang forwards again. Both were heavy hitters, putting their entire body weight into their strikes, neither one having an advantage. Nile was a smaller man, so Miche's hits were heavier than his, but the captain of Rose Kingdom was injured, bleeding through his bandage, so Nile's counter-force was enough to throw him off balance.

Levi grimaced, debating on whether he could jump into the fight or not. He didn't want to be the reason the queen killed Erwin's father, but he didn't want to watch Miche grow increasingly defenseless as his injury became more and more painful. Erwin's low groan stole his attention and he crouched down at his side, holding his shoulder and making sure his breathing was still stable. Once he was sure the prince was as physically well as he could be, and not somehow injured throughout the battle, he assumed it was the loud ringing out of the swords clashing that hurt his head and caused him to groan. He resumed his protective stance, watching the fight continue.

The swords clanged together again and again, with the two men pulling apart and grunting. The sound of their weapons were like ominous church bells tolling loudly, each time marking a new, significant moment. The sound was one that could almost be felt, the entire population of the courtroom holding their breathes and watching in fear as the two large men would strike out at one another, neither of them gaining any advantage. Miche dragged in air, breathing heavily as he pulled away. He huffed, puffing out his cheeks as he anticipated Nile's next strike. Without warning, he threw his sword to the ground, ducking under Nile's swing, and charged him, tackling the skinny man off his feet and knocking the wind out of him. Nile dropped his sword as he was launched backwards through the air when Miche collided into him. For a moment his head swam and then he regained himself, immediately elbowing Miche where the pickaxe had bit into his side.

Miche roared in pain, sitting up straight before striking Nile in the face with his large fist. He straddled the man's waist before he grabbed him by the shoulders, hauling him upright, and then slamming him back into the ground. He grunted with the effort to do it a second time, and then a third. Nile groaned, becoming dazed, but then he reached up and dug his fingertips into Miche's side. Ignoring the blood-soaked fabric, he stabbed his fingers into the wound and pulled apart the larger man's flesh to create an opening in the battle for himself to recover.

Miche howled, dodging off Nile, and the two both rolled on the ground for a moment in pain. Miche huffed heavily and Nile spat up blood, then the pair met eyes and they both felt a renewed rush of angry towards the other. Nile took a step forwards, swinging a punch at Miche's face. He was caught by Miche as the larger man charged at him again, interrupting him midswing and sending him crashing back to the ground. Miche sat on Nile's shoulders, tucking the man's skinny arms under his own thick thighs, then began to squeeze his throat under his large hands, crushing his esophagus. Levi watched in awe of Miche's strength as the colour drained from Nile's face, first turning a pale shade of white, and then slowly becoming a dull hue of blue. Nile's legs began to do a mad dance under Miche as he gasped for breath, and he struggled to hit at the larger man's backside in order to free himself, to no avail.

"No!" the queen cried out, before driving the dagger through King Smith's neck in an attempt to distract Miche from her brother. She threw the king's body away from her, leaving the knife in his neck, and ran towards her brother's body as Miche shook him by the neck to squeeze the last breaths of life out of him. He was grunting with the effort to choke the man as harshly as he could, determined to watch the light of life leave his eyes, and with a final shake and tightening of his fingers, a loud snap echoed throughout the courtroom and Nile's head lolled backwards on his broken neck.

"Nile!" Queen Zackly cried, rushing towards him, "Oh, Nile!"

Miche stood up, huffing with exertion, then turned and threw a punch at the queen's jaw. She fell behind her brother, crying out in pain. Miche sighed heavily, before staggering to Levi's side.

"I normally oppose violence against women," he gasped, "but that _bitch_ had it coming to her."

Levi laughed weakly, immediately tearing off his sleeves and tying them together before tying them tightly around Miche's midsection. "Yeah," he stammered, "I agree."

Erwin groaned, slumping against the baseboard of the wall, and immediately catching their attention. Miche lifted Erwin by the shoulders, elevating his head and propping him up against the wall to keep him from choking on his own tongue - should he suddenly begin to vomit or seizure. Levi tightened his grip on his sword and turned to face the rest of the room, intending to fight to his last breath to make sure the rest of the raiders wouldn't touch Erwin, but was surprised to discover that every raider in the room had fallen to their knees and lifted their arms up in surrender. With the death of their leader, and the breakdown of the queen, the raiders seemed intent to beg for mercy rather than risk their own lives attempting to fight their way out of the castle. All of the castle guards looked around in surprise, falling into a silent, open-mouthed awe-struck crowd, before Lance called out to them. His voice brought some order back to the castle, and slowly the soldiers all began to slowly gather the raiders, arresting them and escorting them to the dungeons. The castle soldiers all seemed to be in a daze and Levi finally realized why: Captains Hanji and Flagon were kneeling beside King Smith's body, attempting to keep pressure on his neck and stop him from bleeding out.

Levi looked around in wonder, barely able to understand what had just occurred, how many people had just been brutally massacred, when he realized that King Darrius Zackly was nowhere in sight. He hadn't even realized that he himself had been moving until he focused on the loudest, sound in the room: a sharp metallic scraping noise that seemed to be very close by. It was when he realized he was the one creating the noise that he realized he was walking. He approached Queen Zackly, her small and suddenly meek looking figure huddled by her dead brother suddenly growing closer to him. He looked down on her with a mixture of pity and loathing, dragging the blade of the sword on the ground behind himself as he approached her.

"Why?" He gasped, barely able to form the word, being the one person in the room strong enough to ask the question on everyone's mind. His voice was low and, as he stood face-to-face with the very woman that had made his life miserable for years and had robbed him of his childhood, he slipped back into the habit of speaking in the language that only Sina residents would understand.

"Why?" She repeated, answering him in their native tongue as well. Her voice full of malice cut through the silence of the room and attracted attention from every guard. "Quite simply, to _rule_. The prince would have married my daughter, and _she_ would have poisoned him, and his father! After his death, and his father's, my noble brother would step in to rule Rose Kingdom, as he _deserved_ to!" She spat in Miche's direction, "And now _you've_ gone and _ruined_ that. My family always deserved to rule, not serve. And when we took over the three main kingdoms of Sina, Rose, and Maria, we would have built an empire so great all would bow before us."

"But the ambush?" Levi questioned, pressing her for answers and seizing the only moment she would be honest with him in his entire life. "Why attack him _before_ the wedding?"

The queen sighed and rolled her eyes, "That wasn't to kill Prince Erwin. That was to kill _you_ , the bastard servant-son I was landed with all those years ago." Her voice wavered and tears spilt down her cheeks, "And to think I lose my own children in that attack."

"So, this was _all_ for power?" Levi asked, his voice echoing the same hollow feeling he felt towards the queen's ambitions. He could feel a stirring of something else begin to unfurl in his gut, a feeling familiar but never so potent as it was now, "You did all this...for _power_?"

She nodded, not able to look up and meet his eyes. "Anyone would have done it," she defended herself, her hands tightening into fists, "You would have done it, if given the chance. Just like how you frauded to be my son to elevate your own title and attempt to claim some throne."

Levi's hands began to shake with rage as the queen turned the conversation on him. He grit his teeth together and tried to drown out her voice, attempting to keep his blood from becoming hot.

"You - a servant boy that had no wealth or title to his name, a lowly sailor's bastard with a whore mother - you would definitely kill for power, even just a _slice_. How do we know you didn't kill _my_ children in that ambush to take their place-"

Without thinking, Levi lifted the sword and plunged the blade right through the queen's open mouth, efficiently silencing her, as well as ending her life.

"No!" he shouted, then breathed deeply, his shoulders drooping as he exhaled. Barely flinching from the spray of hot, wet blood onto his face, he watched the crimson blood pour out of her open lips, the light slowly fading from the queen's shimmering irises, before he realized he was breathing heavily. His body still buzzed with adrenaline, to the point that now he realized he was aching. He could barely hear the queen's last gurgle as she choked on her own blood, before her eyes slipped closed and she exhaled her last breath. Just as quickly as the feeling of rage had so suddenly spread throughout him, like some fire that ignited in his belly, burned along his limbs, and consumed his mind, the ringing in his head and body that had begged for justice, vengeance, and peace finally let the fire of rage extinguish. His voice fell monotones, reflecting the sudden exhaustion that caused him to sway with fatigue on his injured feet. The last few days without proper food, water, rest, and care caught up to him in an instance, and all the fight left his body as he realized he was finally free of the captors that tormented him with their cruel, narcissistic ways since he was adopted by them as a little boy.

"The only person I ever killed was _you_."

He pushed her off his sword with his foot, watching the body slump to the floor beside her brother's, then let the bloody sword fall to the floor with a loud, ominous clang.

Unable to think about his loved ones after having taken a life, Levi began to head towards the door of the throne room, consumed by thoughts of guilt, fear, and relief. He could barely focus on his surroundings, surprised as he was by the turn of events: never had he imagined that the queen would be killed by his own hands. When he dared to treat himself to the thought of leaving her and her family's servitude, he was always plagued by their faces in his mind, the thought of their eyes on him, hunting for him, no matter the distance he would dream to put between himself and Sina Kingdom. And now, having just murdered a royal in front of a room full of witnesses, and having dedicated his heart to the only person that had managed to enter it, he found he could do the only thing he thought was right to do, and headed back to the dungeons. He was surprised that none of the guards followed him, since he appeared to be leaving the castle, but he was sure they were too busy arresting raiders, caring for their wounded, and preparing their dead to notice. Without their king, and with their beloved prince ill, they worked as a body without a head and attempted to do tasks that they knew generally would be asked of them in this situation, with no one directly taking the lead and calling out orders.

Once back in the dungeons, Levi located the keys to the cell he had locked Carolina inside further down the hallway, on the opposite wall of his own cell. Bending down to pick up the key, he was surprised when a pale hand with scattered, black-ink tattoos, reached out and snatched it inside the cell, catching his attention. He narrowed his eyes, tired but determined to retrieve the singular key, and looked up to find himself face-to-face with a man with long dark hair and piercing silver eyes.

"You don't look like a guard-man." The man murmured, his voice raspy and dry. He swung the key on it's ring around his long index finger, letting the scattered tattoos that continued down his arms be revealed to the boy. He looked him up and down, then decided not to comment on his bloody outfit. "What do ya want this key for?"

"To return to my cell." Levi replied, the fatigue audible in his voice. "What good is it to you?"

The man's thin lips twisted up in a smirk, and he stopped swinging the key around. He leaned closer to the bars, lowering his face to Levi's, and opened his mouth to speak, when something about the boy caught his attention and he closed his mouth. Instead of speaking his mind, the man stared at Levi intently for a long moment of silence, swallowing noisily in the back of his throat as his irises wavered in disbelief as he inspected the boy's face.

"Hey," Levi stated, his voice firm but not aggressive. "What good is that one key to you?" he asked again.

The man straightened up to his full height, then ran a hand through his long, slick hair. "I'll trade it to ya for a drink of water." he rasped, "I haven't had a sip in near' two days."

Levi's lower lip quivered and he debated reaching through the bars and grabbing the man by his skinny, dehydrated throat, but as the image appeared in his mind, the thought of his blood-stained hands driving the sword through the queen's open mouth pushed it aside and he found himself nodding to the man's request. If he were locked in his cell without water for two days, he would wish a kind stranger would give him even a cup, and through his empathy he agreed. He wasn't sure where to find water, but he knew the way Nanaba would head to get him some, so he headed further down the hall until he found himself at a small pump-fountain. Tired as he was, he mustered the energy to pump a large quantity of water into a bucket for the man, then through in a ladle he found lying around for him to be able to drink from. Limping, and half-dragging the heavy bucket of water, he returned to the man's cell, not that far down from his own.

"I brought as much as I could." he gasped, surprised to find the man hadn't tried the key on his own cell door. He had sat close to the bars of the cell, leaning against the wall with his head down and the key in his hand furthest from the door.

"Thank ye kindly." The man replied, sitting up straighter. He clenched his hand around the key, then reached through the bars for the ladle Levi was offering him.

"I can't fit the bucket through the bars," Levi explained, scooping up a large spoonful of the water and handing the ladle through the bars to the man. "But you can use the ladle to drink as much as you'd like. I wouldn't drink too much at once though, let your body get use to the water again."

The man drank the ladle greedily, slurping down the cool water and smacking his cracked lips once it was finished. "No point, boy." he replied, already scooping up another large spoonful, "My body's used to water, 'nough as 'is; any water is good for a sailor of my years." He gulped down another spoonful, leaving Levi to gaze at his scattered tattoos and ponder his words.

"A sailor?" Levi asked, but the fog of fatigue only brought his cell's key back to his mind. "I brought you water, where's my key, sailor?" he asked, swaying on his feet.

The man put the ladle down in the bucket, then looked up at Levi with sharp eyes. "I got your key, don't ye worry." he began, rising his hand so that Levi could see it. He held it out to Levi, but stopped at a distance that Levi couldn't reach into the cell and grab it just yet, "I only ask ye one more thing."

"What is it?" Levi asked, beginning to feel frustrated. He wasn't sure what the guards were doing upstairs, and he was tired after having fought for his life for the last several days. He felt like he was about to collapse, and he gripped the bars of the man's cell to steady himself in an effort to win over the key.

"What's your name, boy?" the man asked him, taking him by surprise.

"Levi." He replied, "Just Levi."

"Well, Levi, I'm Kenny." the man replied, before slipping the key out between the bars and into the small man's hand. "Just Kenny. Thank ye kindly for the wat'r, Levi."

Levi sighed with relief, then nodded to the man, too exhausted to continue forming words. He staggered back to his own cell door, amused that he had been guarded so heavily round the clock and Kenny the sailor only had bars. He twisted the key in the lock and pulled open the door, grunting with the effort it took him. If one thing good came from his actions today, at least Carolina had been safe when he locked her in the dungeons, so that she wasn't attacked during the raid.

Carolina had risen to her feet upon hearing the door unlock, and she took a timid step towards the door as it opened. When she realized it was Levi, she reached out to him, unsure of why he returned but concerned that he was covered in what appeared to be a dark liquid she could only assume was blood.

"My child," she began but fell quiet as he stepped into the cell slowly.

Levi didn't reply, not even to give her any explanation. He made no effort to even meet her eyes. He took three steps into the room, then fell to his knees and curled up on the loose hay scattered as a mattress on the floor. Carolina sighed softly at the sight, then sat beside him and coaxed him to crawl his head into her lap. Only when she was holding him did she realize he was weeping.


	16. Chapter 16

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

 **Chapter 16: March 27th**

Levi cried for a long time, without answering any of the old maid's questions or offering any comments at all. Carolina wasn't aware of what had occurred while she had been locked inside the cell, but she was afraid to leave Levi alone in the dungeon in order to find out. She checked his body discretely, patting along his back and pulling at the holes where his sleeves had been ripped off to peek at his pale skin, to confirm the blood on his clothing was not his own. After a careful investigation, she breathed with relief when she found out he wasn't injured. The blood still concerned her, since now she was unsure whose blood it was, and she began to wonder if it wasn't prince Erwin's - as she believed that would be an event that would result in Levi's current state of sorrow. Her body began to ache with worry as she sat on the floor, attempting to console the weeping boy, but she was too afraid to leave him alone to find anyone to explain to her what had happened, afraid that he would cry himself to death. She could only hope that the blood wasn't Prince Erwin's, and tried to convince herself otherwise as she sat anxiously awaiting Levi's calming point.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when eventually the boy exhausted himself by sobbing. His breathing began to fall from a rushed, desperate gulping to a rhythmatic pattern. She watched him, eagerly waiting for him to catch his breath before she began asking him questions, when she realized he had fallen silent from sobbing because he had fallen asleep in her lap, with tears still streaming down his face.

She patted his back, watching his breathing slow down as he fell in the deeper lulls of sleep for several minutes, before she took the shawl off from around her shoulders and bundle it up under his head to form a pillow. It pained her to leave his side when he was so vulnerable, but she had to find out what happened to the rest of the castle and make sure that others in her large, extended family were safe as well.

She rose to her feet slowly, exhausted with the effort, and made her way to the door. For good measure, and to make sure Levi wouldn't wonder off if he woke up, she locked the door and hung the keys on the hook across the hall. A figure was walking towards her as she made her way to the stairway leading up to the main castle floor, and she squinted her eyes to see who it was.

"Oh, Nanaba? Is that you?" she asked, surprised that his usually cheerful, youthful face seemed shadowed with expressions of stress and sorrow.

"Carolina! My lady! Oh, you're okay?!" he cried, rushing to come to her side. "I was so worried about you! Last I heard you were in Prince Erwin's room, and oh!" He wrapped his arms around her, giving her a hug.

"Oh! Nonsense with the 'my lady's.'" She rebuked humourously, "What happened?! I came to visit Levi, and then he locked me in the cell! He came back covered in blood just now!"

"He returned to his cell?" Nanaba asked, a puzzled expression crossing his features. "We were sure he'd left the castle!"

"No! Heavens, why?!"

Nanaba inhaled and then rushed to speak the entire tale all in one breath, "He killed Queen Zackly. Well, really Queen Zackly was poisoning Prince Erwin, and apparently Levi found out, so I suppose he broke out to save him. But Queen Zackly's brother, Nile Dok, brought his gang of raiders to storm the castle, probably because Captain Miche picked up on the Queen's odd behaviour, and-"

"Slow down child!" Carolina laughed, "You talked yourself out of breath!"

"Well, the main thing is Prince Erwin is safe. He's recovering in his room." Nanaba laughed nervously. "At least, we've moved him back there for now. Queen Zackly and her brother, head of the raider's, are dead. King Zackly is nowhere to be found, and...well," He bounced on his heels to look over Carolina's shoulder down the hall towards Levi's cell. "Shouldn't we move him then?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low tone as he changed his focus mid-sentence.

"What? Who, move who?" she asked, confused by his babbling.

"Levi, Carolina. Shouldn't we move him? To the medical ward?"

Carolina turned to face the cell and nodded solemnly. "That would be a kind thing to do. I want to make sure my family is alright, Eren was upset last I saw him, and then we'll send a guard or two to move him. Let him sleep now."

The pair reached the top of the narrow, steep stairs from the dungeon, with Carolina leaning heavily on Nanaba's arm, and then they began to make their way towards the throne room.

"Ahh, not in there, not yet." Nanaba guided her away, his voice lowering. "It's still quite a mess. There's been many losses, Carolina, on...both sides."

"Both sides?" Carolina asked, her thoughts immediately jumping to Miche. Nanaba hadn't mentioned how he was after the attack. "Miche?" she whispered, her mouth falling open in horror. While he wasn't her own by birth, the man was like a son to her and the loss would be the same as if he were.

"Is in the medical ward." Nanaba informed her, "It's...it's King Smith that's...that has..."

Tears filled the old woman's eyes and she covered her mouth with her hand. "King Smith?" she repeated, "The King is...So Prince Erwin is..."

Nanaba nodded silently.

Their quiet moment was intruded on when Carla caught sight of her mother and rushed over, wrapping her arms around her. "Oh mother!" she cried out, "Please tell me you aren't harmed!"

Carolina rubbed her daughter's cheeks with her thumbs, then smiled at her. "No, I'm alright, my dear Carla." she replied, "How are you and Eren?"

"We were on the boats when the attack happened!" Carla exclaimed, "We were safe. But we were so worried about you!"

Carolina nodded, then smiled. "Where's my grandson then?"

"He's with his father in the medical ward, learning all those foul words from Miche." Carla laughed, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes with one hand.

"Is there a spare medic then, in these conditions? I want Levi moved to the medical wing again." Carolina began.

Carla nodded, lifting her mother's hand to her mouth and kissing it, then nodding again. "I'll take care of him, personally." she promised.

Nanaba offered to show her to Levi, so the pair turned and headed back towards the dungeons, leaving Carolina to stand in the entrance hall. Captain Hanji walked out of the throne room, careful to close the door behind himself.

"Oh, Carolina." he greeted her when he saw her, "How are you?"

"Good, good. I was in the dungeons so I missed the whole affair!" she laughed.

Hanji smirked, "Ahh, well at least you were safe." He rubbed the tip of his nose with his thumb, then sighed. "Thank you, for giving me that time off. I'm afraid I wasn't of much help to King Smith, but-"

"Oh, Hanji." Carolina cut him off, then took one of the man's hands in her own and gazed up at him. "Don't you ever, ever, think that you could have done something different. You did all you could."

Hanji smiled at Carolina, then nodded, his shaggy brown hair dancing with the motion. "I just...wish I had done more, you know?"

Carolina nodded, "I know. It's not your fault." she whispered, then hugged the soldier. "What's done is done. You're off to get the dead wagon, then?" she asked.

Hanji nodded. "And send word for the hearse. Plans for the burial are already underway."

"When is the funeral?"

"Tomorrow."

"And Prince Erwin?"

"Will be crowned officially on Sunday. Grisha's orders. The royal physician is doing his best to heal him by then."

Carolina nodded, "Is he resting then?"

"He's been sedated. I'm sorry, I must get the hearse and then regroup. Captain Flagon and I are going to arrest Levi, he's left and we have to-"

"Levi's here in the castle." Carolina cut him off.

"What?!"

"He's here. He came back down to the dungeons afterwards. I'm having him moved to the medical ward as we speak."

"I'm relieved." Hanji confessed. "I'll give word to Flagon." He turned to leave, then thought otherwise and turned back to Carolina again. "He's quite skilled, Levi." he stated, "He held up fairly well, fought alongside Miche to defend the prince."

Carolina smiled, amazed that Levi had managed to impress Hanji, then nodded. "He's probably been _royally trained_." she replied, smirking at the surprised look on Hanji's face.

The pair parted ways, with Hanji headed off to find Ness to arrange for the dead wagons and hearse, and Carolina heading up to check on Erwin in his room.

True to Hanji's word, the prince was sedated, lying fast asleep in his room amidst all the pure white pillows. He had been washed and changed, most likely by Carla, but his blonde hair was a mess across his forehead and he had rolled onto his side, holding a pillow close to his chest. The sight made Carolina smile softly and she came to his side to pull the sheets up higher, before kissing his temple. An apprentice medic stationed to watch over him approached her, then nodded as she held up a finger to be silent.

"How is he?" he asked her, seeking her advice.

"On the mend. Let's let him sleep." She replied, "Has the physician retired for the night?"

"What's left of it, yes." the apprenticed smiled, "I was going to draw the curtains for the prince. The sun will be rising in a few hours, I don't want it to disturb him."

"Will he be attending the funeral?"

"Yes, he should be well enough to sit through the service at the very least."

"Has he thrown up since?"

"Twice since he's been brought back up. He vomited several times since the queen last saw him; he had followed her downstairs after we heard that she was eager to share dinner with his father again."

Carolina smoothed Erwin's soft gold hair off his forehead and smiled at him, peaceful in his sleep. "He's still fevered."

"The physician says it will go down. The poison the queen gave him would be detrimental in high accumulations and has a long half-life, but the longer he goes without another dose, the more he will recover. If he eats regularly, his system will eventually flush it out naturally. Since he's been given about three doses a day for - give or take - a week, we assume it should be under a fortnight for him to recover."

Carolina smiled, "I'm glad." she whispered, then kissed Erwin's forehead. "I'll be back to check on him in the morning."

"Yes, my lady. Make sure you get some rest as well."

Carolina nodded, but didn't head to her own room just yet. After leaving Prince Erwin's room, she headed to the medical ward, intent on seeing that Miche was recovering as well. It didn't surprise her that he was still awake, lying in his bed and facing the bed closest to the door, the only bed with the white curtain pulled around it.

"How is he?" he asked the minute he saw Carolina, immediately attempting to sit up. "Levi." He clarified, "I trust Erwin's in good hands."

"Calm down, child." Carolina chuckled, attempting to keep her voice low so that they didn't disturb the other guards that were recovering from the attack. "The best hands, actually. And Levi's fine. He's fine. I had them bring him up from the dungeons because he passed out."

"The dungeons?!" Miche questioned her, anger beginning to taint his tone. "They arrested him again?!"

"No," Carolina replied, "He returned to them after killing the queen, at least that last part is what Nanaba informed me."

Miche chuckled, "It's true. Even I'm surprised he returned to the dungeons though. He had every opportunity to walk away. He does realize he's still charged with fraud? And now treachery."

"I think Levi is sick of letting other people define him. He probably wants to tell us his version of the story." Carolina replied, settling herself down into the armchair by Miche's bed.

"Oh no," Miche grinned, "You head on over to bed. I know what sleeping in a chair does to you at your age."

"How would you know that?" Carolina teased him, "You're nowhere near my age."

The pair grinned at each other, enjoying the company in the late hours of the night.

"Are you planning on sleeping yet?" Carolina asked, "Or would you be so kind as to inform me of what happened after Levi locked me in the dungeons?"

"Levi locked you in the dungeons?" Miche asked with a chuckle, sitting up then hissing at his injury.

Carolina laughed, then helped Miche rest against the pillows rather than lie down. "He did. And bless him for it, he kept me safe otherwise. How was it you were injured?" She asked.

Miche scowled, "Well, that man with the pickaxe really drives it in, I'll tell ya."

Carolina made a face, then glanced over at Levi's bed. "Well, you'll have Levi to sympathize with you."

Miche smirked, then frowned. "I suppose it's a curious thing that man got us both. I did give him a taste of his own medicine though."

"Do tell." Carolina requested.

Miche nodded, then began to tell her his account of the raid, starting with her leaving Prince Erwin's room. He explained how the queen was disgruntled that she wouldn't be able to administer the poison to Erwin anymore, and that the physician being called would point her out as the obvious cause of his illness. Desperate to kill the prince while he was still weak, she had sent word by one of her ladies-in-waiting to inform her brother to start the raid on the castle. When the raid had began, King Zackly had been seen running out of the front entrance of the castle, and they still hadn't found him yet.

"Probably returning Sina Kingdom?" Carolina laughed, "The coward."

Miche snorted and agreed. Then continued his account, telling Carolina how Erwin had overheard the queen mentioning that she wanted to have a final dinner with his father, King Smith, and he had managed his way towards the throne room. The battle was already underway, with Queen Zackly's brother commanding his army of vagrants, so it was easy for the prince to slip away as most of the guards were distracted.

"Of course, I didn't just let Erwin go like that." Miche smirked, "I followed them down and managed to get between him and them. And Erwin – bless him – was attempting to fight them, can you imagine? In his condition!"

The pair laughed at the prince's stubbornness, then sat in a moment of silence to admire the sun climbing up past the horizon outside.

"Ahh, we should catch some sleep." Miche murmured, "The funeral for the King is later today."

"How was he?" Carolina asked, remorse in her voice. "King Smith?"

"Ah," Miche sighed, "Not well. He didn't seem...himself. Even lately. I'm surprised none of us picked up on it, Grisha at the least. I only noticed because...because he shook; his hand shook...when he was holding his sword. It was as if it was too heavy for him."

Carolina sighed and looked down, realizing that Queen Zackly must have been poisoning more than the prince of their kingdom and none of them had even noticed it. If it wasn't for Levi returning to warn them, Queen Zackly would have murdered the Smith lineage easily. Carolina nodded, saying nothing as she slowly rose to her feet. "We should try to sleep now, Miche. I'll be back in the morning to check on you and Levi, second-thing."

Miche grinned, "Erwin first again? No fair." he teased, easing himself down to lie on his back.

Carolina smirked at him, then tucked him in and kissed his forehead. Miche rolled his eyes at her affection, but offered no protests. The castle fell into a deep slumber as the sun began to climb, with all its inhabitants finally resting.

* * *

 **March 26th:**

Miche was the first to awake in the medical ward. He threw back the covers and gingerly sat up, careful not to move his torso too quickly and pull the stitches in his side. He felt the bandage, then swung his legs off the side of the bed and stood up. He wanted to stretch but he knew it wouldn't be good to in his condition, so he sat back down to slip on his boots before heading towards his own room. Once there, he cleaned and dressed himself, then knocked on Erwin's door before entering. As he anticipated, Carolina was already there, cleaning Erwin and helping dress him for the day.

"How is he?" he asked, ignoring the fact that Erwin was perfectly capable of answering the question himself.

"Fine." Erwin jumped in.

"He's thrown up twice." Carolina informed Miche, ushering Erwin to sit back down on his bed. "But he's got good aim." she motioned to the bucket at his feet.

"Poison." Miche rolled his eyes, "A woman's weapon." He smirked, turning to face Erwin, "Feeling any better?" he asked, directing his question to Erwin.

"Nauseous." the prince replied, "But well. I'm definitely on the mend."

"Good to hear, King Smith." Miche smirked, clapping a hand down on Erwin's shoulder. He knelt before him, suddenly serious, and lowered his voice. "I am so sorry for your loss. Your father was a good man."

Erwin smiled softly at Miche, then reached out and pulled him up by the arm. "You never bow to me." he breathed, then pulled Miche in for a hug. The taller man suppressed a whimper, glad to hold his friend again. He wrapped his own arms around the king-to-be, only pulling away after Erwin broke their hug first.

"Don't worry about my father." Erwin sighed heavily, "I'm sorry he's gone, especially the way he did, but I'm glad that he did not suffer on a deathbed, the way I would have had it not been for you."

Miche grinned, then nodded solemnly. Carolina interrupted them, clearing her throat and then offering to leave them alone for some time.

"I'll have them send up some breakfast for the two of you, and then I'll get ready for the funeral. We have two hours."

Miche nodded, then his eyes widened and he cleared his throat. "You should probably check the, ah, medical ward too." he nonchalantly hinted, "Make sure the other are healing ok too."

Carolina smiled at Miche's discreteness, then nodded. "I think I will do that." she replied.

She stopped by the kitchen on her way to the medical ward, then headed over to find Levi. But she was surprised to find his bed empty.

"Where's Levi?" she asked a young medic, hoping that he hadn't gotten cold feet at the thought of seeing Erwin again and run away.

"In the bath." the medic laughed at her expression, "Your daughter Carla ran one for him."

"He should be resting." Carolina murmured, more to herself, as she headed towards the bath, rushing since she knew she wouldn't stop feeling anxious until she saw him again. She opened the door without knocking and came in to find him sitting in the tub, alone in the large bathroom that he had been using the past week. "Levi." she breathed his name with relief. "There you are!"

Levi looked up at her, then smiled as if no crimes or raids had come between them. Her heart melted at his innocence, and she came forwards and found herself beginning to wash his short dark hair.

"You don't have to do that, Miss Carolina." he blushed, "I just wanted to be decent for King Smith's funeral."

Carolina froze, her hands pausing in his hair. "The funeral?" she asked, "You...want to attend the funeral?"

"Of course." Levi frowned, confused by the indirect disapproval in her voice. "He looked after me, and he was kind to me. It's the least I could do."

Carolina's expression softened and she bit her lower lip. "I'll see what I can find you to wear." she agreed.

Levi relaxed at her words, then settled back against the tub to enjoy the warmth of the water. "Will I go back to the dungeons afterwards?" he asked, "I wasn't injured, so there was no need to move me to medical."

Carolina splashed him with water, smirking as he jumped in surprise. "No, I think we'll put you back in your room."

"But...I'm not royal. And I'm charged-"

"Hush." Carolina silenced him, "We'll talk about it after the funeral."

Levi fell silent at once. She could tell he was nervous by the way he sat in the tub, his shoulders tense, and his spine rigid, but she was glad that he offered no protests. She finished washing his hair, then rinsed him with water she cupped in her hands, poured over his shoulders, and down his back. A long silence stretched between them that reminded her of the first few days she had watched over Levi, when he was bedridden and head-sick. She smiled, noting the water of the bath had once more turned a dull grey colour, no doubt from the days worth of dirt he had not washed off since being arrested.

"How's...how's Erwin?" Levi asked, finally breaking their silence. His voice low and his gaze remained on the water.

Carolina felt a warmth spread through her at Levi's question, realizing from the tone of his voice and the way he hesitated to speak that he had held back from asking the question for some time.

"He's getting better." Carolina replied easily, hoping the information would calm him down. "He's been resting. The medics were with him all through the night."

"Is he still vomiting?" Levi asked, turning in the tub to face her. His silver eyes were wide with anxiety.

Carolina smiled at him. "It's alright if he does. He needs to flush out the poison."

Levi seemed to freeze on the spot, not even blinking as he tried to process this information. "And he's...he's attending the funeral?"

"Naturally."

Levi seemed to deflate, slumping against the tub and sliding down the clean porcelain until his lips were below the water. Bubbles escaped to the surface when he tried to speak, and he lifted himself back out as Carolina asked him to repeat himself.

"Can you sneak me in the back then?"

"Of the funeral? Heavens, child, why?" Carolina rolled her eyes as Levi murmured something about avoiding Erwin. "You're going to have to talk to him _eventually_. Oh, yes you will." She scolded him as he shook his head. "And he'll _appreciate_ you making the effort to be at the funeral. He might not show it now, but he deep down he would."

"Has he...asked about me?" Levi asked, his lips barely moving as he spoke at a barely audible volume.

Carolina strained to hear him. "He...wasn't awake when I saw him. And Miche had interrupted us when he was, so he hasn't asked _me_ for you, no. I'm sure he's asked _Miche_ though."

"They're talking again?"

"Yes. And I'm sure he'll want to talk to _you_ again too."

Levi slumped back in the tub.

"Are you scared?" Carolina asked him, surprised by Levi's actions. She was even more surprised when he nodded. "Don't be afraid, my child. He's not going to harm you."

"He's going to reject me." Levi mumble, "And that's worse."

Carolina smiled softly at Levi, then turned and brought him a fluffy, warm towel to dry himself off with. "Don't expect anything, and you won't be disappointed."

Levi nodded, then wrapped the towel around himself and dried off his legs as Carolina left and returned with his clothing for the day. She dressed him in simple black trousers, a black button-up shirt with a high collar, and a fitted tailcoat with black lace trim.

"Miss Carolina," Levi protested, holding out the lace around his waist so that it fanned out around him in a skirt-like pattern that would only drape down to his thighs. "This is too much for a servant of my class."

Carolina shook her head. "It was custom made for you some days ago. It's...fitting that you should wear it."

Levi nodded, then flipped the lace back on his cuffs, and followed her without a word to her room on the lower floor. He hesitated for a moment before following her into the large servant quarter's, then waited for Carla to help her dress in their bedroom while he busied young Eren with his small sand-tablet out in the common space. The young boy had been learning how to string together letters to write words, and Levi passed time testing him on short words that were easy to sound out.

"S-h-i-p. Ship." Eren showed him, then grinned. "Wanna see what Miche taught me?" he asked, then without waiting for an answer turned the 'p' to a 't.' "Shit." he proudly exclaimed. Levi laughed out loudly in surprise at the boy's vocabulary. He reached forwards to change the 'i' to an 'o,' but Eren shook the board hard so that his mother wouldn't read it as she entered the room.

"Is Eren entertaining you with his letters?" she asked Levi, then smiled at him. "I'm glad that you could watch him, thank you."

"It's not a problem." Levi replied casually, then stood up and stretched.

"We should be on our way now," Carolina interrupted them, "Carla, you can take Eren out whenever he gets bored."

"Will it be very long?" Levi asked.

"No, it shouldn't be that long. Just a celebration of life, and then a few words from the queen, and maybe the prince if he's well enough."

"He'll find the strength in himself to speak." Carla murmured, "He wouldn't let his father go without saying a few words."

"Did King Smith have any other family here?" Levi asked as they made their way towards the backyard, where the funeral was set up. The funeral would end with the planned procession taking the coffin through the gardens and towards the graveyard, where King Smith would be buried beside Erwin's mother, Eleanor.

"No, his father passed away before him. And he's an only child. Prince Erwin's his eldest child, and his daughter, Elaina, is really Erwin's half-sister." Carla gossiped away, "But you didn't hear that from me."

"Wait." Levi's eyebrows knit together, "So the queen...she isn't-"

"No, that's Erwin's step-mother. That's why she must step down, now that her husband's passed away. But she was always...on the side, if you catch my drift."

Levi nodded, following the Rose Kingdom's logic. "I see." he murmured. He had assumed since Erwin had told him his mother had given him his ship that he named after her that the queen was his birth-mother. Now he knew otherwise. Nothing more was said on the Smith family lineage as they entered the backyard.

The backyard still had decorations up from the ball, with lanterns still hung around the garden, and many other places roped off to keep the guests from wondering too far. Levi wondered why they were still out, but considered removing decorations was the last thing the nobility worried about over the last several days. The staff had chosen to keep these things up for the funeral, and added many chairs for the audience to fill. A table at the head of the funeral held a large, lavish red-wood coffin, and everything from the table to the chairs were covered in white fabric. Miche waved at Carolina from the front, dressed in his formal soldier uniform with a heavy coat and standing collar, entirely in black, with his ceremonial chains of office around his shoulders and cutlass at his waist. He wore white gloves, a symbol of servitude, and gestured for Carolina and her family to sit in the second row, behind himself. In the front row, closest to the aisle, was Queen Smith. Beside her was Grisha, the King's advisor and Eren's father, followed by Erwin himself, and then Miche.

Levi tensed at Carolina's side, being placed between her and Carla, which seated him directly behind Prince Erwin and Carolina directly behind Grisha. He gazed around, counting the chairs; there was nine rows of eight, with the aisle cutting them down the middle into two sections of four, allowing a total of seventy-two guests to sit. Levi bit his lower lip; of all the seats available and he was seated this closely to the prince? Not to mention, this was considered a small and modest service for a noble in Sina.

"What about the people?" he asked Carla, leaning to whisper in her ear so Prince Erwin wouldn't hear his voice.

"The people?" Carla asked, seemingly confused. Then she nodded, "Oh, yes. They don't attend the funeral. They can pay respects to the tribute set up at the front of the castle if they wish. And they're invited to the coronation tomorrow. If we were to let them in the castle grounds, it would provoke them. Not many of them are as...fortunate in regards to clean spaces and warm food. While Rose is most humane of the tri-kingdoms, it is far from having any form of equality, if you must know."

Levi nodded, trying to make sense of it all. "That's very humble." he explained. "But I can understand that." He reflected on how the farmers at the edge of the kingdom lived, with their tattered clothing and their rotting buildings. The barn he had stolen the donkey from in order to disguise himself had been poorly stocked with equipment, and the animal itself was underweight and aged. The better off places included the seamstress's, blacksmith's, and the tavern they had eaten lunch at during their trip into town before the ball. But Levi supposed those would be the better off places, with the nobility supporting their business and probably paying a hefty bill for such services. Still, Rose Kingdom had a fairer justice system and lower taxes than Sina Kingdom, so Carolina was correct in pointing out that Rose Kingdom was more humane. Despite the poverty, Rose Kingdom still managed to support its people, and for the most part that kept them happy.

Carla nodded as well, not wanting to get too involved in politics during the funeral. Eren came to sit in Levi's lap, and the trio all shrugged off the serious topic in order to entertain Eren's questions on food.

If Erwin was aware of Levi's presence, he didn't show it. He continued to stare straight ahead, or turn just enough to speak to Miche and Carolina. Levi tried to keep calm and appear indifferent; it was all he could do since the seats had begun to fill up with other staff and high-classed soldiers, or those that had witnessed the king's murder. He tried not to panic, realizing many of those soldiers probably thought he had something to do with the assassinations. Erwin continued to speak to Miche, then turned and nodded along with whatever Grisha was saying.

And then, without warning, Erwin turned to face Levi. His sharp blue eyes held no emotion in them as he held his gaze on Levi for what felt like eternity, before he turned slightly to greet Carla easily. Levi felt as if the world was falling away from him and all the noise around him seemed to blur into the same static noise. He found himself breathing heavily and he focused on counting his breaths to keep from passing out.

"You wouldn't mind, would you?" Erwin asked Carla something, his voice distinctively breaking through the haze of Levi's mind. She shook her head and patted Levi's shoulder, attempting to get his attention.

Levi gave his head a shake only to realize that Carolina, Miche, Erwin, Grisha, Carla, and Eren were all looking at him with concern in their features. "Uh, what?" he asked, his voice low as he looked from Miche to Grisha.

"You wouldn't mind changing seats with me, would you?" Grisha asked, giving Levi a friendly smile.

Levi leapt up before the man had finished his sentence, his cheeks flushing pink from embarrassment. He hoped that he hadn't come across as rude, especially since it was Carla's husband asking to take his place beside his wife. "Not at all. I apologize."

"No need, no need." Grisha waved off his apologies, standing and coming to hover on the outside of their row. He took Eren's hand, holding onto him to keep him from following Levi to the front row.

Levi made his way out of the row to the outer edge, coming to stand beside Miche. He debated walking up the end of the aisle and hiding inside the castle, when Miche tugged at his sleeve and pointed in Erwin's direction. The Prince had risen to his feet and held out his hand for Levi to take.

Levi found himself gingerly accepting the Prince's silent invitation, coming to stand in front of Erwin, and then sat in the chair Grisha had vacated. It was warm. He tried to hide his cringe at suddenly being in the front row, tucked between the queen and the prince, but he couldn't hide his expression of surprise when Erwin sat beside him and placed an arm around his shoulders. He body instantly tensed and he felt a cold sweat break out across his lower back, tell-tale signs that he was nervous by the glorious blonde.

"You owe me a talk." Erwin muttered in his ear, his breath cold against Levi's flushed skin.

Levi nodded, staring directly ahead as he was afraid to meet Erwin's eyes. He was saved from having to answer when the funeral began with the church choir beginning to sing.

Despite what Carolina had said earlier, the funeral was long. The choir sang a song to call the guests to order, and then another song to open the first prayer for the King's soul to find peace in death. The preacher then led a small service, and then called Grisha up to speak about the King's youth. Afterwards, the choir sang another song, the preacher guided them through a second prayer, and then they continued with the achievements of the king. A third prayer followed, another song by the choir, and then as requested by the king the choir sang the song he danced to with Erwin's mother at their wedding. Afterwards, the preacher spoke of King Smith as a father and a husband, and then lastly as a ruler. A fourth prayer, another song, and then it was Erwin's turn to speak.

Levi looked at the floor as Erwin rose, then hesitantly gazed up at him under his dark lashes. The prince was clad in all black as well, and wore his gold crown from the ball. The most distinguished thing about his outfit was the red sash he wore across his chest that identified him as the Kingdom's unofficial ruler. He took no papers or item up with himself, and kept his hands neatly at his sides, as a proper prince would when public speaking.

"First and foremost I want to thank you all for gathering here today, in memory of my father. It touches my heart to know that you all came of your own free will to celebrate his life and his rule. I know that he would be grateful, and appreciate it very much." Erwin paused, looking at the coffin over his shoulder, then turned and faced the crowd.

"My father meant the world to me." He paused again, and Levi thought that he was going to cry, but then Erwin looked up and his eyes were a clear bright blue. "He taught me how to survive in this world, and what to expect, and how to behave. He taught me how to advance myself and how to look out for others. But most of all, my father taught me how to love and how to live freely.

"As a noble, we've always had privileges over others. As rulers, we've always had social standards imposed on us more so than others. But my father taught me that neither of those are what makes a man truly free and truly strong. Everything in this world has a meaning, and a purpose, and a story. And my father always wanted to discover those stories. And he'd tell them to me. Of tree, of ship, of sea, of shore. I'm sure if he could, he would tell me the story of Queen Zackly and how things ended the way they did, and why." Erwin shrugged, "And I'm sure he wouldn't want us to mourn him, even if he was taken away from us all so prematurely.

"While he didn't rule by his heart as often as he would have liked, and we all know he didn't have enough time to make all the changes that he had envisioned for Rose Kingdom, he remained dedicated to his vision of justice and equality. If there's anything my father taught me, or taught any of us, it was to love, unconditionally, the world around us. To accept things, as they were given to us. He would tell me all the time that every story in the world is but a chapter in the world's story. It is my dream, my honour, and my intention to live my life as full of love, and knowledge, and kindness as my father did his, so that one day, when we meet again, I can tell him all the stories he's inspired."

Erwin came to sit back down beside Levi. Both exhaled heavily, and it startled the smaller boy when the Prince firmly took his hand and squeezed it until he squeezed Erwin's back. The prince didn't look up, and Levi could tell from his posture that he was crying. He squeezed Erwin's hand once more, not yet looking away from him, then held it in both his own and returned his attention back to the service.

The priest came to the front again, then directed the choir to lead a song in which the audience was expected to sing response lines to. Levi stayed silent, not knowing the words for the mourning song and not feeling any better about even being allowed to be where he was in the audience. A servant's place was at the back, behind the guards, and it unnerved him to be up front beside the royalty. As the song was sung, he bowed his head and remained silent, attempting to be as small and unnoticeable as possible, only holding Prince Erwin's hand and occasionally squeezing it whenever he felt the prince tug at him for attention.

When the song ended, Levi looked up and found the priest standing with open arms, facing the audience. He looked around, holding the stares of all seventy-two guests for several seconds each, before speaking. "Now is the time I will invite any of you to come up to the front and speak about King Smith."

There was a brief pause in which everyone bowed their heads or gazed around, wondering who would take the opportunity to lament their beloved king. Then Miche stood up, pausing for a moment to straighten his jacket, before he stepped to the front of the crowd, stopping to face the audience beside the priest.

"It would haunt me to the day I died if I didn't say something about King Smith right now." he exhaled heavily, then met Carolina's eyes and nodded once. "King Smith was a brave, modern, and independent man. He was a teacher at best and soldier at worst. Throughout the course of his life, many of us had our own disagreements with him, many of us at times didn't even understand him. But that's what made him stand out of a crowd. And that's what made him a fit ruler for this unique and thriving city." He paused again, nervous from having to speak to a crowd, but then put of a brave face and continued, "King Smith would have wanted what's best for his family and his kingdom, no matter the consequences. And I would want everyone here to remember him as a man that would put himself last in order to put all of us first."

With a huff, Miche turned and headed back to his seat. He seemed to calm once back beside Erwin, his shoulders drooping into a more relaxed posture, and he sighed once more. The preacher waited for anyone to stand and speak, leaving it an open floor. Levi debated saying something; in the brief time he had got to know Erwin's father he found he was an honest, humble, respectful, and protective person. He had only good things to say. But he held his tongue and didn't speak; it would be out of line and put the spotlight on himself, which was wrong - most especially at a time like this, given his current status in the kingdom.

The preacher waited another minute, then opened his mouth to continue the service. At the same time, Carolina stood up. She cracked her knuckles together, her hands twisting together as a physical display of her nerves, then she headed out of her row and towards the priest. She nodded to the man, then turned to face the audience, before her eyes fell on the blonde prince in the front row; he continued to look down and took no notice of the old maid. The only movement he made was to rub the back of Levi's hand with his thumb, which he did in slow, deliberate strokes, almost subconsciously.

"King Smith was my liege, but he was also a dear, dear friend." Carolina began. Her voice seemed to catch Erwin's attention and his head rose a fraction so he could watch the old maid through his fringe of long, blonde lashes. "In all the time i have known him, which was practically his entire life, King Smith was full of love and compassion. He was a lover of nature, of learning, and of humanity. I watched him grow, and the boy I watched extend his kindness to insects, animals, and humans alike grew into a man that understood and valued the importance of a diverse community. He came to value everyone not because they were the same as him, but because they were different. And that was because he noticed that no one else in the Kingdom did that. Before he was king, Rose Kingdom was...a more conventional place.

"The day he became king, he approached me with the crown in his hands and asked if I would be the one to place it on his head."

Carolina avoided Erwin's gaze, trying to be unphased as the man's mouth dropped open in surprise. Clearly this was information he had not be informed of before.

"This was something that went against the traditions of Rose Kingdom. And when he asked for his first wife, Eleanor's, hand in marriage, he approached me and asked me if his plan seemed to her liking. Another untraditional concern. And when he conceived his first child, he asked me to be his son's god-mother. Of course, given my status in the castle, that would _traditionally_ be forbidden."

It was Levi's turned to be shocked by the information the old lady was revealing. In Sina Kingdom, a servant would never be a noble's godmother; the thought itself would be forbidden. He felt Erwin wipe a tear off his cheek, but he found that he himself could look nowhere else but at King Smith's casket.

"King Smith was not the perfect husband, or the perfect father, or even the perfect king. There were times he was strict and harsh, and as he grew older and times grew tougher, he became quicker to anger. Some felt that he was no longer the same man that had appreciated people for their differences. But he still often came to me to inquire about my opinions on his plans for the kingdom. He felt conflicted with how best to rule, desiring to lead the world with the example of compassion, but feeling forced to follow what he knew the rest of the world would accept as normal. And I will never forget the glow of life in his eyes when he would tell me that he vowed to rule by example, and that he would sooner close his eyes to the beauty of this world than give up on his values.

"King Smith valued difference. He valued love. And he valued compassion. While he was a ruler that was not afraid of consequences and not blind to the harsh reality of the world just beyond his doorstep, he was fair, and just, and loyal. And he would want - for his family, his friends, and his kingdom - to remember: in difference, there is understanding. In understanding, there is value. In value, there is compassion. In compassion, there is humanity. And in humanity, there is difference. So, as we celebrate the end of a...wonderful ruler, friend, husband, father, king, let us take with us his morals, his teachings, and let us never forget the world he envisioned: a world of diversity, of equality, of understanding, and of love."

Erwin stiffened at Levi's side, taking the old maid's words to heart. He bit his lower lip, feeling like she had said more than a eulogy about his father.

The priest turned back to face the audience as Carolina made her way back to her seat. When he had met eyes with everyone in the audience at least once and got no response, he nodded and began to lead them in the final prayer. He turned to face the casket, holding his arms open as he had when he asked for the audience to speak, and then he called out to Erwin's father's spirit. Using his voice, he guided him to the afterlife. As he did so, he began to circle the casket, tapping on the edges of it every so often, and asking the audience to call a response for several lines. This must have been a traditional service in Rose Kingdom, however, Levi stayed silent. Carolina's words had been moving, but he still didn't feel it was his place to speak or behave as though he were a citizen here.

The priest circled the casket three times, tapping at the edges and pausing as he waited for the audience to response. The choir began a hymn when he had finished, and the audience all bowed their heads in silence. An apprentice priest walked up the middle aisle of the funeral, bringing with him thirteen nails and a hammer. He followed the priest around the casket, holding the nail against the lid of the coffin as the priest nailed it into the wood with the hammer. Each time, the audience would repeat their previous responses, all working in union to guide the King's soul to the next world, and thank him for his contributions to this one.

Levi watched in awe, noting the pattern of the nails being hammered into the coffin. When the nails were done, the priest stood at the foot of the coffin and the apprentice stood at the head. They reached outwards, extending their arms out to their sides, then looked upwards and began to lead a prayer in a language Levi couldn't understand but knew to be long dead. When they had finished, the choir began to sing one more song, which ended when the priests had both walked back up the aisle, leaving the funeral to close without them.

As the crowd began to rise to their feet, several of them remaining quiet, others beginning to speak in murmured voices, Carolina reached forwards and tapped Erwin's shoulder. "Miche will help carry the body out, but you're too weak." She whispered as most of the crowd began to dissipate. "You're going to need to find a sixth man to car-"

"I'll do it." Levi volunteered, saying the words before fully thinking it through. "It's the least I could do." He offered when all eyes fell on him.

Erwin's eyes darkened and for a moment Levi thought he disapproved of the idea. After a moment of silence he hummed deeply in the back of his throat and frowned. "You're small." He stated, his tone implying how obvious it was, "And you're injured."

Miche scratched at the tip of his nose, then glanced up at Erwin. Erwin caught his glance, and after a moment holding his gaze, shrugged. "If you insist." he spoke to Levi, despite the dark-haired boy's silence.

Levi nodded, then followed Miche to the coffin. Miche took hold of the left rear, and placed Levi at the middle in front of himself. Grisha took the left front. Their heights made it difficult, as the coffin didn't rest of Levi's shoulder as it did on Grisha's, but it didn't rest on Miche's either, and that made it easier than he expected. A third preacher, dressed as death, guided them down the long garden pathway towards the back. Erwin and Carolina followed arm-in-arm; Carla had taken Eren inside, and the rest of the staff and guards had also left from the funeral service to retreat back inside the castle to give the family some privacy, despite the distance to the garden. The funeral procession walked through the garden, passed a metal fence and into a graveyard. Here, they continued along a small stone pathway to a small area, enclosed by a fence. The area overlooked the sea, and a tree full of windchimes towered protectively over the first and only grave that inhabited this space. A fresh grave had already been dug beside the first, and the six men carrying the casket stopped directly in front of it.

Once at the gravesite, the coffin was lowered onto two ropes, which was then lowered by Miche, Grisha, and two of King Smith's closest friends. Levi was glad he didn't have to help for that part; each rope had to be gently loosened until the coffin had descended the traditional thirteen feet into the ground, and it had to be done in complete silence. Afterwards, the coffin was watered by the preacher dressed as death, and then each person threw a spade of dirt down into the hole before departing and heading back to the castle. Levi was ready to follow Carolina's lead when Erwin caught his hand and patted the space beside himself on the cold stone bench.

"Sit with me." He requested, his voice low and soft. "I'm going to watch the men bury him fully."

Levi paused, stunned by Erwin's request, then nodded and sat by Erwin's side. He almost expected the blonde to put his arm around him, as he did during the service, but Erwin simply gripped the edge of the bench on either side of himself in both hands and silently watched the gravediggers fill the hole in the ground. The preacher dressed as death was the only one making noise, walking around the open grave and breathing heavily, throwing dirt into the hole with hisses and gasps every so often. It was a long process, and Levi was glad for the seaside breeze that blew in off the coast as the sun beat down on them for the first time in days. For a long time, they watched the hole be fruitlessly filled with dirt, until about two hours later, when the top of the dirt began to be visible from where they were seated.

Levi squirmed by Erwin's side. He felt restless sitting for so long. He curled his arms around himself, hugging himself tightly, then stretched out his legs. If Erwin noticed him at all, he made no indication of it; he simply continued to stare at the grave until it was completely covered with dirt.

The gravediggers smoothed the last of the dirt over the grave with the backs of their shovels, then nodded at Erwin before taking their leave. The preacher dressed as death then stepped over the grave, smoothing out the dirt with the soles of his boots, before placing stones around the perimeter of the grave and finally over where the king's head would rest under the earth. Then he took his leave as well, making no indication that the prince was even there.

Levi stood up and watched the grave-party go, the diggers heading towards the stables, where Levi assumed the tools were kept and the priest towards the castle. He turned to read the grave marker, which was a shiny new stone slab that was carved to appear like the letter 'i,' with a narrow, rectangular bottom and a large, circular top. A hole had been removed from the inside of the circle so that it appeared to be a large 'o.' Levi read the stone out loud, pausing between the words to appreciate the man they described.

Erwin made a soft noise and tugged at Levi's hand, pulling him to sit beside him again. It was only then that Levi realized Erwin had been crying. He had been afraid to look at him, scared that he would be met with accusation in his cold blue eyes, but now he felt guilty for seemingly ignoring him. He moved to wrap his arms around Erwin, then reconsidered his actions and placed his hands in his own lap.

"I'm so sorry, Prince Erwin." he began.

Erwin turned and pinned him with his dark blue eyes, holding Levi's gaze and causing him to fall silent. The gaze was hard, and felt cold, causing Levi to worry. He held his breath as he waited for Erwin to speak.

"You owe me a talk." Erwin repeated the same request he had given Levi at the start of the funeral. His voice sounded strained and full of emotions.

Levi nodded, his gaze slowly drifting to the ground. "Do you...have any questions for me?" he asked, trying to find a starting point for what Erwin wanted to tell him.

"Naturally." Erwin sighed, but the aggression never left his voice. "I would be surprised if I met anyone who _wouldn't_ , given the circumstances."

Levi nodded. A moment passed in silence. "I just...don't know where to begin." he started, hoping Erwin would catch on.

"At the beginning." Erwin replied easily. His voice was monotone and smooth now, but Levi could read the fatigue in his tone. The way Erwin's shoulders drooped, and his eyes were narrowed and red-rimmed gave Levi clear indications that the Prince was exhausted. He knew Erwin would be stubborn and not leave until he heard the entire story, so he sighed and began.

"I was taken in by the Sina royals as a servant when I was found sleeping beside the castle one night during a storm. To be honest, I didn't know it was the castle. I had just...walked around until I was exhausted and frozen from the rain, so I tried to take shelter near the large wall. My mother had died in December of that year, I was only four years old. No family took me in, I honestly don't even know any, and the neighbours didn't have enough money to pay me for services, so I had no way to provide for myself-"

"What possible services could a four year old give?" Erwin asked, cutting Levi off. He sounded disgusted by the thought of a person so young working. "You were a _child_."

Levi shook his head slightly, then waved a hand upwards as if to indicate that he held no real answer for the prince. "It's not uncommon in my district of Sina. Actually, quite a few children fair that way normally; if they're lucky and work hard they survive. There are no places that provide for homeless children, so it's work or starve to death. A lot of the work is dangerous, crawling into small spaces to clean or doing things involving any machinery because of their small hands. My mother passed and without her I was...not fairing well. I was tired, and hungry, and lost. The rain was heavy, so I could barely see very far and I decided that if I couldn't find a shelter for the night, the wall would do. As it turned out, it was the castle. I have no idea how I came to the capital at all, let alone on the castle grounds; I was born in the poorest district, beside the small port that was the only connection Sina Kingdom has to the waterways - which is by means of a narrow river. It's probably the furthest district from the capital district, which is where the castle is located, so I'm not even sure how I made the journey there in a matter of days. And unlike how I was told the castle to be, the grounds were easy to have just walked onto. You would imagine there would be a large gate, or at least a fence...but there wasn't any. And...I have no recollection of how I got onto the grounds. I just...did.

"Anyways, I got caught by this guard and he took me in and called the King. Usually they would sell us as slaves, if we were caught on royal property and we would be sent to other kingdoms...lesser kingdoms...that were more barbaric than Sina – if such places are possible." Levi looked upwards as he rolled his eyes, trying to disguise his tears and send them back to where they originated. "Naturally I was terrified. But six years ago, the queen had a daughter, named Lana, and she was in need of a...slave, I suppose. They figured we were close in age, since I was two years her junior, and rather than search for a servant, they would just make me one, since Lana was now at the point that she no longer require or want a midwife to serve her." He touched Erwin's arm as the blonde opened his mouth, silently asking him to hold his questions. "The King took me in as a servant to his daughter, conditionally, because of my sex, and I was meant to be replaced later on. But two years later, when Lana was eight and I six, the queen had a son - Len - and I became _his_ personal servant. Len and Lana were always together, so I served them both. It was one of my duties to accompany her here and-"

"Why didn't she have any ladies-in-waiting?" Erwin asked, cutting Levi off again.

"She did. She had _eight_." Levi shook his head again, once more indicating his uncertainty of his answers. "I wasn't sure why they didn't come. Originally, I assumed she didn't want the competition or the girls to gossip to the Rose staff about her. Then, she was telling me in the carriage that after she married you she wouldn't have need for anyone from Sina anymore, so I assumed that she...got rid of them – dismissed them, or sold them – before she came here. But there's another reason for that."

Erwin nodded, but his eyebrows knit together and his lips pressed into a thin frown. "That's un-unusual. What would-" he commented. He seemed to gasp for breath for a minute, then leapt up and away from the graves, before holding his stomach and vomiting.

Levi rose and came to rub the prince's back, before wiping the vomit off his lips. "I don't have anything to give you." he mumbled, feeling useless. "Perhaps we should head back so you can have a drink of water and rest? I can tell you the rest in the castle?"

"It's alright. I don't want to head back yet." Erwin mumbled, then headed back to sit on the bench by the graves. Levi followed, holding Erwin's hand in his own so that he could keep a better watch on him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Fevered." Erwin replied, "But I'll live. Keep going."

Levi nodded, watching Erwin for a moment before continuing. "After King Zackly caused that scene, I was leaving Rose Kingdom-"

"No, wait. We were at Lana having another reason to dismiss her ladies-in-waiting."

"I'm getting to that." Levi replied, amused by the prince's attention to detail. "I was leaving Rose Kingdom, but I wasn't sure where I was going. I thought I would head to Maria Kingdom, or possibly Ymir? Anywhere that I could start over, since I had done that once already." Levi laughed humourlessly at his situation, surprised that he was even sitting beside the Prince of Rose Kingdom and telling him all this. "I spent the night in the wreck of the carriage to avoid castle guards, and the next morning, I decided to head to Maria Kingdom. It was late evening when I stumbled across the raiders, they were camping out along the road and discussing the attack. The tall, skinny one – the queen's brother, Nile – was discussing how the attack failed because they mistook our carriage for yours."

Erwin nodded, mumbled something that had Miche's name in it. Levi nodded, hoping Erwin wasn't overexerting himself.

"In truth, that attack wasn't for you either. It was...for me." Levi licked his lower lips and looked down, then continued, "That's why there was no other servants present to escort Princess Lana. The carriage driver, his son, and myself were supposed to be killed, and the ladies-in-waiting wouldn't be here, so that the queen wouldn't have anyone other than her daughter between you and her. After the wedding, Len would return to Sina Kingdom, you would be married to Lana, and she would be the next in line for the thrown. Queen Zackly planned to take control of Rose Kingdom and employ her brother Nile to be the next king, after poisoning you and your father, since Lana would need a regent until she turned of age. It would be easy for Lana to poison you and the king, since she would be able to access everywhere in the castle as your wife, and she would be able to oversee the medics."

Erwin's eyes narrowed and he made a small hissing noise to express his distaste at Queen Zackly's plan.

"Poison," he frowned, "A woman's weapon, as Miche would say."

Levi continued on, choosing not to reply to Erwin's comment.

"It was an elaborate plan. No one – I'm sure not even King Zackly – was aware of it. I only came to realize it after stumbling on them in the forest, and then afterwards...with the attack.

"But if that carriage hadn't been knocked off the road, I probably wouldn't be alive today. At the time I didn't know I was the target, all I could think of was how to protect my masters, and so I traded clothes with Len, hoping that if the raiders were after them, he could get away as the servant and call for help. I didn't anticipate being the only survivor and mistaken for the prince. So when Miche found me, and called me the prince, I tried to correct him. But, by the time I had awoken and taken everything in...I found the entire castle thought me the prince, and I was just...scared to correct everyone. I was afraid that Rose Kingdom was like Sina Kingdom, and that if I caught wearing Len's clothing, I would be assumed to be impersonating a royal and being deceitful and...I wasn't, that was _never_ my intention. But I wasn't ready to die because of a misunderstanding over clothing, as I'm sure you could empathize.

"As the days went on, I was scared to tell anyone the truth, because you began to trust me and...and I valued your trust, I valued the attention you gave me. You saw me...not as a slave, not because I was the person you called to do your work or bring you something. You saw me as a person...and after a lifetime of servitude, it felt _good_ to be seen as just another boy, and not a piece of property. I know it's...it's _impossible_ ," Levi breathed heavily, surprised by how emotional he had become over his words to the prince. The honest truth caused him to realize just how much pain he had buried in his heart after years of neglect and abuse, but now that he started to confess about it, he found he couldn't stop himself. "For you to understand how invisible I felt, and just...how it felt to be...to be _seen_ again. And, I admit, I found you handsome, and kind, and...and, then you asked me to _marry_ you and...I'm _not_ royal. And I _was_ planning to run away before the Zackly's arrived so that they couldn't tell you about me, but then...when you asked me to marry you...I was going to...I was going to tell you that I wasn't the prince. And then King Zackly was there and I had no choice but to leave.

"But after I heard what the raiders were planning, nothing else seemed to matter to me. I came back because...I didn't want anything _bad_ to happen to _you_." Levi mumbled, unconsciously stroking the back of Erwin's hand. He hadn't expected the conversation to become so emotional and he choked on his honesty. "I couldn't leave you to...to _die_. Even if it meant giving up my own freedom, or my own life, I couldn't let them do that to you."

Erwin shook their hands lightly to capture Levi's attention, then gave him a crooked smile. "I wooed you enough to spare my life?" he asked, a playful tone laced through his voice so that Levi knew he was joking.

Levi smirked, then frowned. "You make it seem like I don't care about you at all." he frowned, "And that's not the case. I-" He faltered, looking away for a moment before seeming to decide on his words. He met Erwin's eyes with a look of determination and honesty, before confessing, "I love you, Prince Erwin. Even if you don't believe me, I- I _adore_ you, and I only want what's _best_ for you."

Erwin's eyes softened at Levi's words, and he tore his hand out of Levi's to pull the smaller boy against his body in a warm hug. He kissed the top of Levi's head and held him close to his chest.

"Marry me." he requested simply, stating it rather than asking.

Levi gave a small, exhausted laugh, then pulled away and took a hold of Erwin's hand again. This time, he sat closer to the prince, so that their thighs were pressed against each other's. "Why are you asking me to marry you?" he asked, surprised by how easy it was to be honest about his thoughts to Erwin now that he had confessed his feelings for him.

"Because I want to wake up every day, and go to sleep every night, by your side." Erwin replied, wrapping an arm around Levi's shoulders and pulling him against his chest again. "Because I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Levi. Because I _love_ you."

They shared a moment of silence before Erwin released Levi enough to pull away so that he could gaze into his silver eyes. He stared for a long moment, judging the smaller boy for his honesty before asking him, "Are you straight, Levi? Is that why- Is that why you won't marry me?"

Levi gave his head a small shake and a look of surprise crossed his face. "Am I what?" He asked, shocked by Erwin's question.

"Do you like _women_?" Erwin asked, rephrasing the question. "When I look back on when we were...close, you only seemed to desire me when I wore makeup, and you..." he looked around, as if he was scared to be overhead, before leaning forwards and whispering into Levi's ear, " _fucked_ me." He pulled away and licked his lips. His blue eyes shone brightly with uncertainty, and Levi was sure the prince was afraid he would be rejected.

"No!" Levi gasped, then exhaled heavily. "No, that's... that's, no. I don't like women, Prince Erwin, not in that way, never. I never... I...I didn't even _know_ I liked men. I never paid attention to any of that before. I- I never even _did_ anything like that before. I-"

Erwin chuckled at Levi's flustered attempts to explain himself. "Really?!" he asked, then breathed a heavy sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god!" he exclaimed, "So I- I- I took your virginity too?" he asked in a low voice, pleasantly surprised with this discovery.

Levi blushed and nodded, then looked at the graves as if they were listening.

"So it's not because I'm a _man_ that you refuse to marry me?" Erwin asked, suddenly in a much better mood. Levi was surprised that such a trivial fact had caused Erwin so much grief.

"No. Fuck, Erwin." he rolled his eyes in exasperation, then licked his lips. When he spoke again, his voice was full of regret and self-hate. "Is that why you were so angry with me? Did you honestly believe I would hurt you like that? I was trying to explain myself before, but I got interrupted by King Zackly. I wanted to tell you that... I'm not a prince." He paused, then smirked at the irony of his statement before he continued, explaining his thoughts to the blonde. "I'm not a prince. I'm not a princess. I'm not a Zackly, I'm not even noble. I'm just a servant that was spared from slavery. I'm all _wrong_ for you, Prince Erwin. I'm sorry. There's just...nothing right about me that would make me _worthy_ of being your bride."

Erwin laughed weakly at Levi's reasoning. He reached out and held both of Levi's shoulders, then very deliberately, he leaned in and pressed his lips to Levi's. His arms wrapped around Levi's shoulders, and he held him close, letting their lips move with one another's and share the same breath. After a moment, he pulled away only enough to whisper against Levi's lips.

"Even if you arrived as a servant, even if you arrived alongside Lana as you were supposed to, it would have _always_ been you, Levi. You stole my heart the moment I saw you. Against...anyone in the entire kingdom, in the entire world, it would have always been you."

Levi blushed, his cheeks tainting a soft pink. He gazed into Erwin's eyes until he felt dizzy, attempting to coax himself into believing Erwin's words. A wave of relief washed over Levi, and he realized that none of it mattered all along: the titles, the sex, their bodies, the dances, the public image, the opinions of others; none of it matter. What truly mattered, what _only_ mattered, was that they _loved_ each other.

"Ask me again." he breathed, his full black eyelashes tickling Erwin's cheeks as he blinked. The words left him before his mind could consciously catch up, and he found that in saying the words out loud he had forgiven himself for all the lies he had told, as well as all the abuse he had endured and subconsciously blamed himself for. Now, as he sat beside the prince, holding his hands and feeling the touch of the prince's palm against his cheek, his neck, and finally his wrist, he felt an elegant sensation of bliss spread throughout his entire body as he surrendered himself to the overwhelming and comforting feeling of love. He was ready to let go of the past so he would be able to freely embrace his future.

Erwin took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily, his lips curving up in an excited smile. He released Levi and moved to lower himself to one knee in front of the smaller man. "Levi." he breathed, unable to hide the excitement in his voice as he softly spoke his name, "Will you do me the greatest honour and be my husband?"

Levi nodded, surprised that he was beginning to laugh. "Yes," he replied, smiling brightly, "Yes, Prince Erwin! I will!"

Erwin tugged Levi off the bench and into his lap, almost crushing him against his own body out of happiness. Levi wrapped his arms around the Prince's waist and buried himself against his chest. "Erwin," he found himself whispering his name, " _My_ Erwin."

The prince seemed to swell with pride at Levi's words, and he pulled away just enough to press kisses to Levi's temple. " _My_ Levi," he kissed him, "My _prince_."

Levi blushed, realizing that Erwin's words were true. By marrying Erwin, he would be considered a prince of Rose Kingdom. He blushed and wrapped his arms tighter around Erwin's waist. He was surprised when he felt tears sliding down his cheeks.

"I couldn't leave it behind." Erwin mumbled, producing the gold ring from his coat pocket. It was the ring he had Miche order from the blacksmith, the day that Levi had gone shopping for the ball, and it was the same ring that he had tried to engage him with on the schooner. It was a simple gold band, thick, with no stones, made to mirror the golden crown of stars he was given. But it was what Erwin hoped would be enough for Levi to take pride in until he was given his second – and more extravagant ring at the wedding.

Levi chuckled weakly, allowing Erwin to slip the ring onto his finger. It was sized correctly, and stayed in place where Erwin put it. The blonde grinned at the ring in its place on Levi's third finger, then looked up to meet his eyes, only to become surprised when he found Levi was crying.

"Are you alright?" He asked, then turned his face to cough weakly.

Levi chuckled, "I could ask you the same thing." he teased.

Erwin rolled his eyes. "You're crying." he rebutted.

"I'm _happy!_ " Levi admitted.

Erwin grinned at Levi and hugged him close once more. He sat on the bench and pulled Levi into his lap, facing the two gravestones in front of them.

"I know my father would approve of you." he whispered to Levi, "He was only worried that I wouldn't be happy if I didn't marry a woman."

Levi nodded, listening intently. He studied the gravestones, then turned to kiss Erwin's cheek. "I'm sure he only wanted you to be happy. He probably just wanted you to share the same happiness that his son brought him."

"It's quite obvious though, isn't it?" Erwin asked, squeezing Levi lightly, "I think he saw just how happy you made me, especially the night of the ball. That's why, I think he wasn't so opposed to it...when he heard me propose to you the day after."

Levi nodded, and a short silence enveloped them. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect him, my love."

Erwin kissed Levi's ear, staying silent. They stared at the graves for a minute before Erwin shook his head. "He wasn't your duty to protect, Levi." Erwin mumbled, "He was...sick, after all. And no one knew it. No one would have known it about me either. You...saved my life."

"It's a shame I couldn't save his as well."

"Nonsense. He faired better than I. I wonder why he was able to carry on as he did when I was ill and blue and bedridden. It couldn't have been the same poison if we both had such different symptoms."

"I don't it was." Levi replied, "I think you were the distraction, and you had to be killed off in a way that was different than your father. He was more of a...poison to the mind, I would guess."

"That would explain why he was so meek towards them." Erwin mumbled, "Why he didn't come and see me. Why he didn't argue with them or want to cause any conflict."

"That sounds about right." Levi replied, "We'll know for sure when we get the coroner's report."

"We will." Erwin agreed, falling silent for a moment. "It's alright." He breathed with a sigh of relief, "He's with Eleanor now."

"Your mother?" Levi asked, then turned his attention to the second grave. "Eleanor Smith. Beloved mother, wife, and Queen." He read aloud.

"Yes. Mom's buried here too." Erwin sighed, "I come here almost every day to speak to her, tell her about my life, share all those little moments I never want to forget with her. It's where I was coming back from when I first met you."

Levi nodded, intertwining their fingers together in his lap. He was quiet for a moment, then he bit his lower lip and twisted to lean back against Erwin's chest so he could look up at him. "Do you think she would have approved of me?" he asked in a low voice, knowing how close Erwin had been to his mother.

A gentle wind blew, catching the branches of the tree and shaking them softly. Erwin wrapped an arm around Levi's shoulders, holding him close to keep him warm from the wind, then glanced up at the sound of a bell. He looked into the tree, his lips curving into a smile as he read the name of the windchime that was singing as its bells were pulled in the wind, 'Love.'

Erwin re-positioned Levi so that they were leaning shoulder-to-shoulder, then pressed their lips together again. "Yes," he whispered, "She _definitely_ would have approved of you."


	17. Chapter 17

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

 **Chapter 17 - March 27th - Evening**

When the sun had began to set, Miche and Carolina had walked out to the end of the garden, arm-in-arm, bringing with themselves a blanket to keep Erwin warm. Miche had been watching the prince and Levi from atop the walls, standing guard as a faithful soldier would, as he was unsure of Erwin's feelings towards Levi after the initial conflict. From the distance he had been at, their two figures were mere silhouettes sitting side-by-side, watching King Smith's grave be covered in dirt. Then they began to move and talk, and he was gripped with fear. When the sun had begun to set, Carolina came to the foot of the wall and bade him come down and assist her walking out to the couple. He was unsure of the state their discussion had resulted in, so he spoke softly with Carolina of their hopeful ideals for Prince Erwin and Levi's resolution. Nevertheless, it surprised them to find the blonde lying on the bench with his head in Levi's lap, fast asleep, as they entered the private, gated section of the graveyard.

"I didn't want to leave him alone." Levi admitted, smiling at them the minute they arrived. He had been stroking the prince's silky blonde hair, smoothing it back from his face. "And I couldn't carry him back myself."

Miche laughed, holding his side and coughing slightly as a result of his injury. "I'm afraid even I can't carry him back in this condition." he teased, "We have no choice but to wake him."

Levi smirked, then raised both hands so that Miche was free to reach forwards and shake Erwin awake gently. The large man stepped forwards, intending to tap the prince's shoulder, but Carolina squealed in delight at the sight of Levi's left hand and reached out to stop the smaller man from lowering his hand out of sight. Miche paused, then straightened up to observe the ring on Levi's third finger as well. He whistled and grinned at Levi, then began to nudge Erwin's shoulder so he would wake.

"Congratulations!" Carolina beamed at Levi, "I'm so happy for you!"

Levi blushed, embarrassed but grateful by the old lady's words. "Thank you." he replied, his tone soft, "He was quite persistent." he teased. "I could only deny myself of him so many times."

"And rightfully so." Carolina lightheartedly scolded him, "You shouldn't be denying him in the first place, Levi. You deserve a chance at happiness, and so does Erwin."

Erwin looked around as he opened his eyes and found Miche and Carolina excitedly talking to Levi around him. He wrapped his arms around Levi's waist and moaned, burying his face against Levi's stomach. The trio laughed at him.

A mumbled 'mine' came from Erwin, then he attempted to go back to sleep.

"No, no." Miche protested, "Come now, Prince Erwin. It's past dinner time. You should have some food and then head to bed. Tomorrow is going to be another big day."

"It's just the coronation." Erwin mumbled, "I can afford to sleep in."

Levi chuckled at Erwin's reasoning. "Come now, you're going to be _king_." he rebuked him gently, "I know you're not feeling well, but it won't do you any good to stay out here all night and catch a cold."

"Levi's right." Miche agreed, "Let's go, Erwin. Come on now, up you get."

The trio managed to coax Erwin to his feet. Levi pulled Erwin's arm around his shoulders and began leading him back to the castle. Miche took Erwin's other arm and pulled it around his own shoulders as well, distributing the king-to-be's weight between the two of them. He managed to peer around Erwin to give Levi a warm smile, hoping it conveyed his feelings about the young man's engagement: it was what he had hoped would happen between the two of them since he had first laid eyes on Levi as he hung out of the burnt carriage window. In that moment, Miche had taken in the state of him and seen nothing more than a servant doing what he himself would have done with Prince Erwin in order to save his life; he could tell from the long, unkempt hair and the complexion of the boy's skin that he was not royalty. He had even heard the young one's attempted confession as he personally carried him back up the slippery gully wall, but he had chosen to ignore it, lie to his masters, and risk his life in order for all of them to reach this moment of true, blissful love.

He bit his lower lip, reflecting quietly on the last few days. Things hadn't played out as smoothly as he had hoped they would: the boy had run away, their king had been killed, and their kingdom was shaken by the brewing political trouble that was growing ever-closer to their doorstep. But now as they walked side-by-side, with the dwindling heat from the setting sun in the west warming their backs as they headed home, he could only be grateful that things had worked out in the end after all. He was right in his first impression that the boy was a fighter, yet he was also good, and pure, and true. He was all the traits that Erwin valued, and he was the portray of the boy of his dreams as well. Miche found himself entertaining the thought that Erwin had been in love with Levi from before the time they had even met, that somehow he had known all along that Levi existed, that he was real, and that he was the one he would fall in love with. Levi was, after all, the man that Erwin would always talk about as his ideal partner when they were younger and beginning to feel attraction for others in a sexual way. Erwin would always desire the same traits over and over: someone shorter with bright eyes, a loyal, kind, understanding man with an open mind and heart. Miche said nothing about his thoughts as they headed to the castle together, content on watching the couple as they risked shy glances at each other and blushed despite their open affections.

Levi focused on breathing evenly, barely able to feel the injury in his foot as he gingerly followed Miche towards the castle, guiding Erwin as they went. It surprised him when they were halfway through the garden and he risked glancing at Erwin, only to find him staring down at him with a soft smile on his face.

"What is it?" Levi asked in a low voice, immediately self-conscious.

"Nothing." Erwin whispered, pausing to admire his fiancé. "You're just beautiful."

Levi chuckled and rolled his eyes. "It's the poison talking." He teased the prince, continuing to walk him back to the castle.

It felt much quieter in the castle since the widowed queen had barricaded herself and two servants into a smaller bedroom on the ground floor, as the king was no longer there. The servants still appeared to be lost without him, and many had waited to see Erwin being brought back and seated at the dining room table before they also retired for the night. A dinner of carrot soup, whole wheat buns, flaky salmon dip, a garden salad, and red wine were brought to the table. Levi sat and watched Erwin eat, finding himself focused on if the blonde was able to eat something as heavy to digest as a meat-source. Carolina touched his arm and began to make his plate, reminding him that he hadn't eaten also. In return Levi had requested that Carolina and Miche eat with them as well, and the four of them found themselves squished together around the end of the long table, where days before they had held a lavish dinner with King Smith and discussed their plan to capture the raiders. It was interesting to Levi that despite the fact that the late-king was no longer with them, they kept his place at the head of the table empty. All of them seemed content to sit beside someone and face another, and yet he felt that it was also in some way to pay respect to the late father of Rose Kingdom.

Their dinner tonight was quiet, with an air of understanding that kept them all from forcing a conversation. Levi, Carolina, and Miche had finished their meals first, then patiently waited for Erwin to finish whatever food it was that he could handle eating at the time. They rose, Carolina having called her daughter to take the dishes back to the kitchen, then began to lead the prince towards his bedroom on the second floor. They passed through the main throne room, taking the route that would take them by the front doors, which were still closed with a temporary barricade of wooden sheets, since the doors had been beaten open during the raid. Levi could still hear the crowd of townspeople outside, all singing hymns and offering prayers for their late King's soul. He paused for a moment in the hall to listen, surprised that the people were actually willingly mourning, rather than celebrating their leader's death.

"Somethings in Rose will take more getting used to." Erwin spoke softly, breaking Levi's thoughts. He smiled at Levi, squeezing his hand softly in his own, "I know this is not how Sina Kingdom would mourn their king's passing."

Levi turned to face him and nodded, surprised that Erwin had so easily picked up on his thoughts.

"They have their own dead to mourn." Erwin continued in a somber expression, "It wasn't just the castle that was attacked in that raid."

Levi's eyes widened and sparkled with worry. "The people?" he began, clearly concerned, "Not them. They didn't do anything wrong."

"A farm was lit on fire, a shop or two was raided. It happened so quickly. But it was clear the army was marching to the castle. Most of the people injured were in the streets. A few passed, and we as the head of the kingdom have set up a vigil for them as well, alongside the king's. Everyone in Rose is important, in their own way. And while we have to distinguish between who is royal and who isn't, we are the example for the people, not the superior. When all is well, we will see what we can do to help those people who had their livelihood affected be helped out. But that's part of what will happen in the course of time."

Levi nodded, thinking of time as well now. "I suppose I should ask you about the charges?" he began, his mind suddenly recalling his Sina citizenship. "I'm sure King Zackly will be less than pleased if you were to marry me and not trial me. Where is he anyways?"

Erwin chuckled, amused by Levi's reasoning. "No. The trial isn't happening." He took Levi's hand and began leading him to his room. "King Smith accused you on behalf of King Zackly, since this is our kingdom and my father was trying to do anything he could to keep Sina from waging war against us. But now this is _my_ kingdom, and I refuse to charge my bride." Erwin teased him.

Levi blushed, "And that is what you're going to tell King Zackly?"

"I'm going to tell King Zackly to hold his tongue." Erwin smirked, the authority in his voice firm despite his illness. "Or, I will have no other alternative than to publically release his wife's plan to assassinate my father and myself. I will be sure to have that deep conversation with him face-to-face, in the presence of many of our close friends and soldiers, in the Rose prison, where King Zackly has been spending time."

Levi paused for a moment before realizing that Erwin did indeed have the advantage over King Zackly. He smirked, then gave Erwin an expression of pride. "Well, that does work in our favour." He replied, "I thought he was back in Sina by now."

"No," Erwin smirked, "Lance found him hiding in the stables. He had been attempting to harness a horse for himself, but Ness had been trying to prevent any of the horses from being stolen or killed during the raid so he hid himself behind the hay bales. We assume he was going to wait until nightfall to steal one of the horses and flee, but Lance found him by then. I'm not sure if I want to pull leverage with him or have him trialed for anything yet."

They stopped outside Erwin's bedroom door, and Levi made sure to stand just before the threshold. Erwin's hand tugged in his own, but stayed his ground, causing the prince to turn back and face him, surprised that the dark-haired boy refused to enter his room suddenly.

"Aren't you going to tuck me in?" Erwin asked, his question addressed to tease Levi but aimed to discover the reason behind his inaction.

"I had better not." Levi smirked, "Or does Rose not have a rule for engaged couples in the same bed?"

Erwin smirked, then leaned down and kissed Levi. "It's going to be cold without you." he mumbled, running a hand through Levi's hair.

"You'll manage." Levi teased.

Miche joined them then, bringing with him the royal physician, a medical apprentice, and his trusted guard, Lance. "Good night, Prince Levi." Miche greeted Levi, noting that he had been taking his leave.

Levi nodded to Miche, taking his words as both a greeting and a goodbye. "Good night, Captain, Doctor." He nodded to both the apprentice and Lance, then turned back to Erwin. "And good night, Prince Erwin." he bade the blonde, blushing as he looked up him, "Tonight will be the last you spend as Prince of Rose Kingdom." Without waiting for a reply, he left Erwin with his staff and headed back to his old bedchamber, surprised that he so easily remembered the way. He realized that Carolina had left their party a while ago now, and he so he headed back to his room without an escort. It didn't surprise him when he found Carolina inside, making up his bed with a pot of warm coals and fluffy pillows.

"The coronation's tomorrow." He greeted her, "Will you have the day off?"

Carolina gave Levi an amused smile. "You know I work harder on the days we have events." She chided him teasingly. "I'm responsible for quite a few significant things tomorrow."

"Oh?" Levi asked, coming into the room and beginning to undress from his funeral clothes. "What significant things?" He asked, shrugging off his jacket.

She took the coat from Levi and hung it up in the wardrobe. "I have a prince to take care of tomorrow. You need to be presentable for the people." she smirked.

Levi's eyes widened and he bit his lower lip. "It's...Erwin's coronation." he protested weakly.

"Yes. And so he will be announcing his engagement." Carolina gloated. "To you."

Levi groaned. He took off his shirt and unlaced his trousers, then put on the nightgown Carolina handed him before stripping off his pants.

"It makes perfect sense, to be honest. Tomorrow was supposed to be the day of his marriage, if things had turned out according to the Sina royals' plans. So the general ambiance has already been taken care of. In other words, the arrangements have already been made."

Levi looked at Carolina with a raised eyebrow. "I thought nothing was planned for the wedding?" He asked.

"It wasn't officially planned because no one was sure if they would both agree to the marriage. But some given outlines were set aside, such as potential decor and spaces. The front of the castle is traditionally where all ceremonies take place."

Levi smirked, "But Erwin said he's not very traditional."

Carolina rolled her eyes. "He gave his father two ultimatums: he wanted the ceremony on-"

"The Eleanor." Levi interjected.

Carolina smiled, then nodded, "Yes, his mother's ship, or the top of the castle wall, above the front gate."

Levi gave Carolina a puzzled look. She waved her hand at him and he got into bed so that she could tuck him in and sit beside him.

"Why the wall?" Levi asked, puzzled by his decision. He tried to remember what the front gate had looked like, but the only time he had seen it was when he had to sneak into the castle several days ago to warn Prince Erwin of the plot to kill him. He was unconscious the first time he had been taken into the castle and inside the carriage when he went shopping in town before the ball, so he had never seen the gate otherwise. The bad memory left a tainted image of the gate in is mind, so he wrinkled his nose in distaste and tried not to judge the location too harshly.

"He said it's because the city would see. And the view up there is breathtaking. He said he felt the castle courtyard is too mundane and it doesn't let very many townspeople in."

Levi nodded, "He does have a point. So, would he be getting crowned on the wall then? The townspeople can't all fit on the ship either."

Carolina cracked a smile. "Yes, I assume we will all be looking up at the wall tomorrow afternoon."

Levi smirked. "I trust you have another miraculous outfit for me to wear tomorrow?" he teased her, then rolled his eyes.

"It was already made." Carolina grinned, "We assumed when you were first brought to us and sleeping in the medical ward that it would be wise to fit you with several outfits, as Prince of Sina, since you had lost all of yours in the raid. But since you're now Prince of Rose Kingdom, you might as well make use of them."

Levi gave Carolina an embarrassed smile. "I really did want to tell you." he murmured, "I just...didn't know how anyone would react. I felt really bad...like I was taking advantage of you all. And, I know how hard it is...to serve royalty and-"

"Hush, child." Carolina silenced him, "It's alright. If it eases your mind, _I_ knew you weren't a prince." She smirked at Levi's surprised expression, "You didn't act like one. You knew the theory but it was obvious you never had the experience. And you were nothing like the boy we were expecting; we were informed of how they looked and acted - to _some_ degree."

"Miche knew." Levi mumbled, touching the top sheet. "He knew and he didn't tell anyone."

"Oh?" Carolina asked, her voice low and insightful. Despite never asking the question, Carolina knew that Levi meant to ask her why Miche didn't expose him as a fraud. "Well, Miche is Erwin's closest friend. I'm sure he had reason to keep your identity a secret, even from him."

Levi nodded. "Did he tell you...that I wasn't the prince?"

"He may have skirted around it, yes. When I asked him if he noticed anything odd about your mannerism. But he also told me he would fight to the death to protect you."

Levi's eyes narrowed and his mouth dropped open in surprise. It took him a moment in which he looked at Carolina in utter confusion before he could speak. "Why...would he say that?"

Carolina shrugged. "Miche is an insightful man. Perhaps he saw something in you worth fighting for?"

Levi nodded slowly, then shifted so he could lie down. He lay his head on his hand, curling on his side so that he could still face Carolina, who had taken to sitting in a chair she had pulled up alongside his bed. She ran a hand through his choppy black hair, brushing it off his face from where it fell over his eye.

"Levi, have you ever thought about your wedding?" Carolina asked him gently, trying to take his mind off of Miche's intentions over his real identity. Her question brought Levi's last conversation with Lana to his mind, and he inhaled sharply as he recalled her words as clearly as if she had just spoken them to him,

"It's not like you would envision your own wedding, Levi, you're a servant, you wouldn't have one. Unless you were to marry a man, then he would pay to marry you. But I don't think anyone would want to: you're pretty for a boy, but you are a boy. Soon you'll be a man. Your voice has already begun to crack and you started to grow a beard, so you won't be soft and cute like a girl for much longer. No man would want to marry a man: once you get all rough and hot-blooded they wouldn't want to cuddle you. And you can't have children."

Levi closed his eyes and tried to catch his breath. Suddenly, the questions he had been pondering the very moment the carriage was attacked came rushing back to him: did he want children? What would happen to his children? What would happen to him if he didn't get married? Would he be a servant, too old to be of any real use but staying as a servant because he wouldn't have any other means of livelihood? Now he had answers for those questions: he wanted to marry Prince Erwin and spend the rest of his days with him. They would live in Rose Castle, surrounded by their close friends and loved ones. And nothing else seemed to matter in that moment.

"Levi?" Carolina asked, touching his shoulder. "Did I upset you? Levi?"

Levi gave his head a small shake. "Ah, no Carolina." he replied, realising his voice was soft and airy, as if he had just woken up from a dream. "I was just...lost in thought."

Carolina nodded but gave him a look of concern, making Levi feel obligated to explain himself.

"It's just something Lana told me once. She said 'it's not like you would envision your own wedding, Levi, you're a servant, you wouldn't have one.'"

Carolina tsked at his words and shook her head, continuing to stroke his hair. "Oh Levi," she moaned, "That's the cruelest thing you could tell someone! You should never be told to stop dreaming about what you want in life!"

Levi bit his lower lip and nodded, but didn't seem entirely convinced. "Will Erwin still want to be married to me when I'm all rough and hot-blooded and too hairy to cuddle?"

Carolina burst into laughter at Levi's question. She laughed until tears sprang from the corners of her eyes and her thin shoulders shook. "Of course!" she managed to reassure him through her giggle, "He would love you as much then, if not more so! Prince Erwin is attracted to _men_ , Levi. Whatever makes you think otherwise?"

"Lana told me no man would want to marry a man because they wouldn't be soft and cute, or have children, like a woman." His voice fell lower and for reasons unknown to himself, he continued speaking, "I always felt it would be wrong to marry a woman. Not that it is wrong, just that it wouldn't make me happy, and that wouldn't be fair to her if I were to trap her in a loveless marriage as well."

Carolina's eyes shone with understanding and she patted his shoulder gently. "Don't take Lana's words to heart. She sounds as cruel as her mother, and she probably only said what she did so that you would have no confidence in yourself as a lover."

Levi nodded and pulled the blankets up to his chin. "I suppose I would just want my wedding to be simple and beautiful and celebrate everything the world has to offer. It doesn't matter to me where or when or how I get married, as long as the person...my Erwin is there with me, nothing else really matters."

Carolina nodded, "That sounds lovely." she commented. She wanted to say more, but held her tongue when she noticed how Levi had closed his eyes and lay peacefully. She watched him fall to sleep, then rose and closed his window shutters, before turning to make sure he was really asleep. He shifted on the bed for a moment, and she was sure he was exhausted by stressing himself out all day. She closed the door behind herself as she left, then headed to find her daughter Carla to discuss their plans for the morning, before heading to bed herself.

* * *

 **March 28th:**

Levi was surprised to find Nanaba outside his door when he woke up the next morning. He had slipped on the brown ankle boots that Carolina had left by his bed and was heading to the bathroom when he noticed the familiar, small, blonde boy that kept watch over him during his time in the dungeons. "Captain Nanaba, good morning." He greeted him.

"Oh! Prince Levi! You are awake! Please, return to your room." The words came out cheerfully and well-rehearsed, as if the young man had been waiting to inform him of that for quite a while now.

Levi's eyebrows drew together and he gazed deeply into Nanaba's eyes. "Is everything alright?" he asked, worried that some attack had happened overnight that would be reasonable cause for him to be kept in his room at the moment. Since he was now Erwin's fiancé, he would be considered part of the royal family that would receive protection when threatened.

"Everything's fine, Prince Levi." Nanaba reassured him, "However, I was told to keep you inside until the coronation ceremony. You can't be seen by the public until then, and the rest of the castle is in a huge mess trying to get things ready for the ceremony in the courtyard."

Levi nodded; the stairs would take him right into the main hall, and that was surely going to mean he would get in the way of many of the staff. "Could I use the bathroom at all?" He asked, hoping that Nanaba wouldn't stop him from relieving himself of yesterday's late food and drink.

"Of course!" Nanaba squeaked, embarrassed by Levi's question. "Carolina asked me to inform you that she will come by at noon with lunch and then help dress you for the ceremony."

Levi nodded, surprised that he would get the morning to himself. He wasn't sure how to pass the time, so he decided to request for some things. "Could you have someone bring me some books, or stationary? I'm not sure how I want to pass the time between then and now and Carolina asked me to stop worrying so much. I wouldn't want anyone to be taken out of their duties to keep me company and I doubt anyone would let me help."

Nanaba smiled and nodded, then informed Levi he would fetch what he could. "I can keep you company, should you wish. Miche stationed me outside the door all day, and I would much rather pass time together if you wish!"

Levi nodded, grateful for the offer, and agreed that he would meet back with Nanaba in his room after using the bathroom. He was quick, skipping his morning shower so that he could bathe before getting ready for the ceremony, and returned to find that Nanaba had found a chess game they could play.

"Not bad." He commented, "I haven't played chess in months."

Nanaba grinned, "I was sure you would be learnt it in, but I'm not a very bright player. You should see the matches between Miche and Erwin sometimes; they are very long but very close. Sometimes I think Miche will best Erwin and it proves otherwise in the very last move."

Levi's eyes widened and he nodded, "I would love to see that." He replied.

Instead of taking his seat right away, he headed passed Nanaba and tried to push open the shutters, but the south-facing window didn't open as usual. He grunted and tried again, but the window stayed shut. "Nanaba," he called, "How come the window is stuck?"

"I suppose Carolina locked it." Nanaba informed him, "That window overlooks the courtyard, so she probably locked it to protect you from the people's gaze. The west window is open part-way, so I suppose that will have to do."

"Bring the table here then." Levi ordered him, "I want to feel the wind as we play."

Nanaba nodded and Levi came to help him carry the table over to beside the window. They spent an hour playing one game of chess, taking their turns very slowly and calculating their every move. Levi bested Nanaba with only three pieces left of his own, and then they played a second round, in which Nanaba happened to surprise Levi and beat him with a sneaky, rogue bishop. Levi insisted on a third game to settle their score, but Nanaba shook his head and declined. "Let's try something new," he grinned, "I should teach you a game traditional to Rose Kingdom."

Levi's eyes shone with curiosity and he eagerly agreed. They spent the next hour learning the rules and trying out a variation of the game called King's Chess, which appeared very much like chess, but with no variation between pieces and a space on the board that required a player to have at least a single piece inside at all times. Levi was easily bested the first two games, but he was quick to learn how to focus on the many objectives of the game at once, and very easily beat Nanaba twice back.

"How does Erwin fair in this game?" Levi asked, deciding to stop teasing Nanaba as they set up a fifth game.

"He's quite good, but I think Miche is much better at King's Chess." Nanaba confessed.

"How ironic." Levi commented.

Nanaba snickered.

"What are you two giggling about?" Carolina asked them, entering and bringing with herself a trolley of the finest carrot soup, cornbread muffins, seared flounder, and white wine. When they didn't replied, she pulled up a chair and began to set the food on the table, which they hurried to empty of all game pieces.

"We were just discussing if Prince Erwin was good at King's Chess," Levi informed her, "Because I would like to challenge him one day."

Carolina laughed, "A good game to challenge him to if you want to spend the next four hours staring at him thinking. He's quite the competitor, and he's renown for making gambles for if he wins or loses."

Levi's eyes shone with mischief at this information. "I want to gamble against him." he smirked.

"What would you gamble for?" Nanaba asked, trying to read Levi's eyes.

Levi shook his head, not letting Nanaba know. "I'll tell you if I ever win it." he replied.

Carolina rolled her eyes and chuckled, "I'm sure he would go easy on you."

"He has no reason to." Levi replied, before beginning to eat.

They fell silent as they all began eating, and once Nanaba had finished, Carolina asked him to remove all their plates on the trolley she had wheeled all the food in on. "I need to prepare Levi for the ceremony now," she informed him, "So please be sure to inform my daughter I will need her assistance soon."

Nanaba nodded and left the room without another word, leaving Levi to feel compelled to fill the silence.

"Did you lock my window?" he asked, then shook his head in surprise at himself. He found it odd that the window was the first thing that came to his mind.

"I did." Carolina replied in confidence, a tone of slyness coating her voice. "It's for the best, can't have the townspeople trying to see into the front of the castle."

Levi nodded, "Are they usually so...inquisitive? That they would risk scaling the castle walls to catch a glance in my window?"

Carolina nodded, finishing off her wine. "Ah, yes. Mostly during celebrations."

"I see." Levi let the conversation die. He suddenly felt it was vital to escape to the bathroom, as Carolina seemed to be lost in thought. "Shall I begin cleaning up now?"

Carolina nodded. "Ah, yes. You can get started now, I'll come wash your hair in a moment."

Levi rose and headed to the bathroom. The tub had just been filled with hot water, and it was still steaming as he stripped off his nightgown. He submerged himself in the warm water and sighed as it heated his skin and relaxed his muscles. It tingled against his skin immediately and began to bubble, with warm white suds beginning to bloom along the surface of the water around him, and he realized the water was laced with relaxing herbs and salts. He closed his eyes and lay back against the slope of the tub, letting his limbs become limp and float in the water.

Carolina entered a moment later, and headed to the side table where she set down several bottles and a set of warm towels. She took three of the bottles and came to sit on a stool behind Levi, before she began lathering his hair with a lemon-scented, soapy mixture. Levi opened his mouth to inform Carolina it wasn't necessary, but he gasped in surprise at the feeling of the suds against his scalp.

"Ah!" He gasped, "That burns! What is this?" he asked, confused by the tingling sensation.

"It's a lemon based shampoo." Carolina smirked, "I'm sorry about the burning, but it's good for you though. Surely it's a commodity in Sina?"

"I suppose." Levi agreed, "But I've never tried it."

"I suppose not." Carolina mumbled, "But you deserve it."

Levi chuckled, "To be burned with lemon juice? Why today? I've been a prince for more than a week now." he teased her.

Carolina laughed. "Oh, well, I was afraid with your head injury you would feel faint if I used it." she admitted.

Levi nodded, "Makes sense." he commented.

He fell silent as Carolina began washing his hair with another fruity lather, before rinsing his hair and then washing it with a sweet-scented, fruit-based conditioner.

"Oh," He sighed, "This is much nicer!"

Carolina laughed, "I'm glad. But if you dislike the lemon, I apologise for this as well."

Levi made a face as Carolina handed him a lemon slice to wash his face with. "Be very careful, not a drop near your eyes."

"You want me to rub it on my face?" He asked in disbelief.

Carolina only gave him a smirk.

He pressed the lemon to his skin and glided it along his cheeks and to his temple, and then across his forehead and down his nose bridge. It tingled against his skin, but didn't burn as it did on his scalp. "It's actually quite refreshing." he commented. The sharp scent of the lemon so close to his face made him feel awakened and rejuvenated.

Carolina nodded. "I'm glad to hear it." She replied, then held out a small bowl for him to drop the used lemon ring into. At the same time, the door opened and Nanaba stepped in. Levi blushed, embarrassed that another male was entering when he was naked.

"Nanaba has been promoted to your personal guard," Carolina informed him, "So don't be shy. He's sure to see you at all times of the day in all types of situations, just as Miche sees Erwin."

Nanaba grinned but blushed as well, and once inside, he dragged a large bucket to beside the tub. "I'm honoured to serve you, Prince Levi."

Levi nodded, surprised by the news. "I'm honoured to have you of service." he replied easily, glad that it was a soldier that he had a good relationship with and not the annoyingly stingy Hanji. "What's the bucket for?"

"Please, get in." Carolina answered for Nanaba.

Levi sighed, "If I must."

He covered his crotch with his hand and stood, then stepped out of the tub and into the bucket. He sat with his knees up and his arms around his knees, attempting to cover himself as much as he could.

Carolina giggled at his embarrassment. She pointed out a second, slightly smaller bucket to Nanaba, who brought it over. Levi realised it was full of warm water.

Carolina began to pour clean water from the bucket onto Levi, cleaning him of the salt, herbs, and fruit. Levi closed his eyes and let her do as she saw fit, then began to laugh as a sudden thought came to him.

"What is it?" Nanaba asked, "What's funny?"

"Erwin." Levi chuckled, "If this is how much effort I'm being put through, I can only imagine what he must do for his coronation."

Carolina cracked a grin as Nanaba began to laugh. "You have a point there, my prince." the blonde boy replied.

"How is he?" Levi asked, attempting to turn and catch Carolina's face as she answered him, "Prince Erwin? How's he feeling?"

Carolina laughed and attempted to straighten Levi's shoulders, silently directing him to face forwards so she wouldn't be sprayed with the water that she was pouring down his hair. "He's fine- He's fine my child!" she laughed, amused by his energy when it concerned Erwin. "From what Miche has told me, his skin is returning to normal, he's throwing up less, and he's no longer swollen."

Levi looked upwards as he tried to calculate the doses backwards in his head: the last one Erwin had was two days ago, which meant he had gone without close to ten doses. With each dose missed he would get better, grow stronger, and recover slowly from the poison. It was nowhere near the amount of dosages he was given, but it was certainly better than the alternative. Levi smiled at Carolina, blushing as he noticed her amusement to his concern. "I'm glad he's getting stronger again," he whispered, "I just worry he'll lose patience and attempt to behave as though he's well again."

Carolina giggled at his words, then nodded. "I agree." she laughed, "I think we _all_ agree."

Levi remained seated, smiling with his arms around his knees and thinking of his prince, as Carolina continued to wash him. He was relieved when she touched his shoulder and asked him to rise. The water in the large bucket had begun to tickle his thighs, so he rose without hesitation, gladly wrapping himself in a fluffy, warm towel Nanaba had held out to him.

"We're heading back to your room to dress you." Nanaba informed him.

"A minute, please." Levi asked, pausing them so that he could press the dry towel against his limbs. "I want to dry off some first. Water all over the common floors is just unsanitary."

Carolina nodded, then gestured for Nanaba to return before them. She stepped towards Levi, but he waved her off and continued to dry himself with the towel. "I'm alright, Miss Carolina." Levi informed her, "I just want to catch the droplets before leaving."

The old maid nodded, letting the prince do as he saw fit. He patted himself dry with the first towel, then left it on the chair in the corner of the room and wrapped himself in a second, dry, fluffy towel. They headed back to his room together, where Nanaba immediately had him seated in front of the large vanity, tipped the chair back so that he could relax, and placed a warm towel over his face.

"What the-"

"Shh." Nanaba hushed him, "It's to maintain complexion. Just relax."

"How will I wear my outfit?" Levi asked, slightly annoyed with all the primping.

Carolina chuckled to his left. "You'll manage." she teased him.

"This is absurd." he commented, letting them hear his annoyance.

"He acts like such a prince now." Nanaba told Carolina. The pair laughed and he folded his arms across his chest to humour them.

"Unfold those, I need your hands." Carolina informed him, then began to push a file under his nails. She had been prepared to immediately let go of his hands as he pulled them away and cried out in surprise at the first feel of the file. She gave him a moment to recover, then took his hand in her own again and continued to scrap any dirt out from under his fingernails. "We have to make sure that you're looking your best when presented as Erwin's fiancé."

Levi nodded, "Go ahead." he replied, "I'm just...this is too much."

Nanaba nodded, "Yes, I agree."

They continued their various odd jobs, cleaning under his fingernails, filing his nails uniform, and finally adding a white chalk to under them so that they appeared lusciously healthy and shiny. Then they repeated the process for his toenails, scraping and filing, before coaxing him to step into his stockings. He asked them to take off the cloth from his face and was denied, and he rolled his eyes as Carolina asked him to stand.

"I'm not going to allow you to put my pants on me for me." he argued. "I've already held back my questions on why you would need to file my toenails when the townspeople aren't going to even see my bare feet."

"Come now, don't spoil the surprise." Carolina teased him.

"At least let me put on my pants with dignity."

Carolina sighed and removed the cloth from his face, before she handed Levi his pants and asked him to keep his eyes closed. Nanaba turned away to give Levi his privacy. Levi fumbled with the clothing, but managed to step into his pants and laced them up, then removed his towel and handed it to Carolina.

"Happy?" he asked.

Carolina nodded, "Yes. Thank you."

She stepped behind him, straightened his shoulders, and then started to brush through his damp hair with a wide-tooth comb. Nanaba headed back to the bathroom, excusing himself to get another hairbrush, leaving Levi to be groomed by Carolina. She began to dust a light powder on his face. "Eyes closed, dear." she reminded him, keeping him from looking into the mirror as she worked on his short hair. "I want to see your face when you see yourself."

Levi chuckled, amused by Carolina's excitement. "You've seen me dressed up for the ball." he commented, "Wasn't that enough? I doubt I'll look any different."

Carolina laughed at his words, then paused in brushing his hair to roll her eyes. "Really? I would think someone with your past would be more excited to be dressed so finely." she teased. She instantly regretted her words, feeling they were too harsh on the boy. "I won't push you if you don't want. We just thought you would like to match Rose kingdom's tra-"

"I do." Levi cut her off. "I'll be quiet about it all now, I realize I'm just being ungrateful. I'm just...surprised is all. It's hard to just accept being pampered like this so suddenly."

"Nonsense." Carolina replied, stepping around to face him before wrapping her thin arms around his chest in a warm embrace. "You're just not used to it." She reasoned, "And I don't blame you." She released him from her hug and stepped around him again, before she began to tighten a firm material around his torso.

"A corset?" he asked, breathless with surprise. His eyelashes fluttered but he kept his eyes closed.

"It's customary." she informed him, a smile warming the tone of her voice.

"Prince Erwin?" he gasped.

"As well."

"I'll enjoy- seeing it." he gasped then smirked, recalling how sexy the blonde prince looked with lipstick.

Nanaba blushed. "You're quite bold, your highness." he confessed, entering the room with a small box tucked under his arm.

Levi chuckled and took the statement as a compliment.

Carolina slipped a sleeveless, long shirt over the corset, then began to pull it tight around the back of his body to lace up. Afterwards, she slipped a short jacket over his arms so they were no longer bare. He frowned, having been instructed to keep his eyes closed, and was tempted to peak at what she was doing, when he felt a cloak being tied around his throat and pulled over his shoulders.

"Come now," he began to argue, but was cut off by Nanaba.

"Please, Prince Levi. The ceremony is going to start soon."

Levi fell silent.

They instructed him to sit back down, then leaned him back so that he was facing the ceiling rather than the mirror. Carolina finally asked him to open his eyes, but only so that she could lined the waterlines with coal, then she painted his lips. He pouted, wanting to complain about the lip paint, but held his tongue on the matter; it would be best if he attempted to understand their culture rather than constantly reject it.

"Why is lip paint so popular here?" he asked, feeling foolish once the question left his lips.

"It's popular amongst all the nobility." Nanaba defended instantly.

"But in Rose Kingdom especially." Carolina rebuked Nanaba. "In our kingdom we value the lips more than we value the eyes, or at least we value them equally. They do the talking, expressing, and kissing, which is more than we can say our eyes do. In other words, the lips are the most expressive part of the body so it's only natural to highlight them on the face; bolder, darker lips attract more attention, and of course have a price tag attached to them that mostly only the nobility can afford."

Levi nodded, listening to her reasoning. She sat him upright, then guided him to lean over the flame of a single candle flame, so his eyelashes would naturally curl upwards and away from the heat.

"There now," Carolina murmured, running a hairbrush through his short hair the moment he had sat up straight again. His eyes fell on the familiar box that Nanaba had brought with him back to the room and a soft blush heated his cheeks as he realized what was inside of it.

"There was a scuff on your old one," Carolina mumbled, turning to the box and gently picking a radiant silver crown out of it. "But I'm sure Prince Erwin had sent for it to be taken care of. Until then, this was...made for Lana to wear to the wedding, but I suppose he felt it was appropriate for you to wear now." The silver crown was polished and shone in the light as Carolina pulled it out; like the golden crown, it had a heaven-inspired design, and the stars on it twinkling as they caught the light in their various ridges. Unlike the golden crown, there was a high peaked front, embedded with white diamonds, elegantly shaved pearls, and pure crystal harvested from the northern mountains that caught the light and highlighted with rainbow sparkles. Levi closed his eyes as he felt the elegant silver tiara being placed on his head, then opened his eyes as soon as he felt Carolina step away from him. She reached out and took his hand, and he watched her mouth drop open in surprise as Carolina gasp with surprise.

"What is it?" he asked her, slipping his engagement ring on; he had removed it only for the bath and was unable to put it back on while they were grooming him.

"You look stunning." she replied. "All cleaned up like a pretty penny." She wiped a tear out of the corner of her eyes, having teared up at both the memory of Levi when she had first uttered the phrase, and now as she gazed upon him.

Levi's thin lips pulled into a smile as he recalled that the elderly lady had said those exact same words to him when she first cleaned him up after being found in the wreck of the carriage, but before he had a chance to look at himself in the mirror, Nanaba had taken a grip on his arm that seemed impossible for a man his size, and then led Levi from the room. As they got closer to the courtyard, he realized the amount of people inside the large square was staggering, and he was surprised he gravitated closer to his personal guard than he originally expected.

"The courtyard is full!" he exclaimed, glancing around.

"Naturally." Nanaba agreed, "All the staff is here. But we need to head up." he pointed towards the wall above the front gate.

"I see Prince Erwin's gotten his way." Levi replied in amusement, following the blonde through the crowd of servants. He turned to see if Carolina was keeping up with them, but was surprised that she was nowhere near them anymore. "Nanaba, wait." he called.

To his surprise, the blonde stopped immediately and stood awaiting further instructions. He never had a person listen to him so readily before, usually having to argue with other servants to hear him out back home in Sina. The instance response of his guard caused him to inhale sharply and then take a moment to process his new authority. "Uh, Miss Carolina," he began, startled that his simple request of 'wait' had been taken as such an authoritative command. "S-sh-she's lost us...I think."

Nanaba held back a giggle, his professionalism masking his immediate reaction. "No, no, Prince Levi. She'll find us later. For now, we need to arrive at the wall."

Levi nodded slowly, unsure of the order of affairs and blindly trusting the small boy before him to know of what they were to do. He resumed following him, taking the narrow stairs at the south-western side of the courtyard up to the western side of the southern wall. Approximately eighty feet to the east was the front gate to the castle-yard, so Levi followed Nanaba towards it.

"We'll watch the coronation from here." Nanaba informed him, stopping when they remained fifty feet from the main gate. "It's the best place to watch from, and it keeps you out of the eyes of the public until the time when you are to be announced."

Levi nodded, content with going along with whatever it was that was planned. "When does the coronation begin?" He asked. He looked over the southern side of the wall and withdrew quickly to stand further in the middle of the giant structure; the crowd surrounding the front gate was large, with many guards having formed a thick wall, five men deep, to keep the citizens at a safe distance from where Prince Erwin was to be crowned. It was clear the entire kingdom was there, and perhaps onlookers from other cities as well. Levi was surprised by how quiet the crowd sounded, given that the constant hum of their talking caused him to mistake them for a gathering less than half their actual size.

"In less than an hour." Nanaba replied easily, glancing up at the sun rising above them. "Which is to say not that long."

"Where is Prince Erwin coming from?"

"The eastern side of the wall."

"With Miche?"

"Naturally."

Levi nodded. He gazed around himself, watching all the people gathering on the walls around them. "These are...these are all the royals?" he asked, amazed to see everyone dressed so elegantly.

"Alongside us, yes. But there are also the attendants of the royal family, standing up here on the wall with us." Nanaba replied, "We give them formal clothing and allow them to attend certain events. The status of 'servant' doesn't exist in Rose Kingdom, although on occasion you hear the term thrown around, usually by visiting nobles. The job is essentially the same, the nobility does have people that attend them and of course there are people that ensure the castle is kept clean and well stocked. But Erwin's father decided to change the name of 'servant' to a specific job title: personal attendants or castle attendants, something along those lines. He viewed that the title of 'servant' was rude and degrading, so he opted to change it to ensure respect was given to even the lowest of his staff. Everyone is a life here, no one more important than another. The Smith family has always been very...liberal in their beliefs regarding life."

Levi nodded along; the information didn't phase him as much as it would have if he hadn't seen Carolina attending the ball with him. "So Miss Carolina? How is she attending the ceremony?" He asked, trying to catch her out of the crowd around himself.

"Is coming with the priest."

"Because she will crown Prince Erwin?"

"How did you know?!" Nanaba asked, thrown off his professional replies by Levi's question.

"Because I'm sure he would request it after learning his father had her crown him at the funeral." Levi replied easily.

"It's true! He did!" Nanaba replied. "Of course I wasn't around to witness it." he chuckled.

Levi smirked at Nanaba, then looked around the wall. Already he could pick out the familiar faces of several guards: Lance, Hanji, and several of the others that frequently followed Prince Erwin around. Carla, Eren, and Grisha were standing closer to where Erwin would be crowned, and behind them were other castle staff. He was surprised to see that Erwin's sister, Elaina, and Princess Isle's were not present.

"Where is the rest of Prince Erwin's family?" He asked, "I know it's quite a trip to Rose from their kingdom, but I'd be surprised if they weren't invited."

"Then surprised you should be." Nanaba replied, grinning, "It's tradition for them to be _away_ when Erwin is crowned."

"But why?" Levi asked, trying to understand.

"Because it's deemed bad luck for the next in line to be at the coronation." Nanaba replied easily.

"Oh." Levi replied, surprised by the logic in the statement. "That's sound reasoning."

Nanaba only grinned in return.

Levi looked around again. "Say Nanaba," he began, his mind bringing a memory to the front of his attention. "What happens to the prisoners in Rose Castle? How long do they stay there?"

"Until we can trial them, your highness."

"So the people in the cells now?"

"Will have to wait until we can trial them, your highness."

"And who trials them?"

"The king and advisor, naturally."

"I want to be present when the sailor Kenny is trialed." Levi murmured, "Can you arrange that for me?"

"O-of course." Nanaba replied, confused by the request. "I- I could do that. It might be a while now, your highness. The cells are very full at the moment, with all the surviving raiders and King Zackly."

Levi nodded, "Thank you." He stated, closing the topic on Nanaba since he didn't want to be reminded of the King of Sina. He turned his attention to himself, surprised by the colour of his sleeves. "Nanaba," He chuckled, "What is it that I'm wearing? I haven't been given a glimpse of myself at all today."

"Just a suit designed for the occassion of attending a wedding, your highness." Nanaba chuckled, "I think it's a rather fitting suit for a man of your status."

Levi blushed, "Yes, but-" he began to protest, amazed by the depth of the dark ocean blue he was wearing. The cuffs and trim of his jacket was accentuated with black velvet, and the long shirt he wore underneath was collarless and of a fine, sheer material, dyed a light grey in colour with strands of spun silver woven into the fabric. Each time he turned, his chest would shimmer with the sunlight, and he found himself blushing, as he was literally wearing silver.

"This is not something you would wear to another's wedding." He argued, shocked by the outfit. He lifted a foot out in front of himself so he could inspect the same royal blue coloring clad around his leg, only to stop when a jet black boot met it, also accentuated with silver buttons and straps.

"Don't be modest." Nanaba laughed, "I admit this was a bit updated after some thought."

"I would hope so!" Levi gasped, "Not that- Not that I _care_ to be so lavishly decorated-"

"I understand." Nanaba laughed at his reaction. "But it suits you, and Erwin will no doubt appreciate it."

Levi fell silent. The sun had risen higher in the sky and he looked up to catch sight of two seagulls dancing against the bright clear blue, heading off towards the coast. The crowd's murmur had risen and fallen as more royals came to stand on the wall, and finally the trumpets sounded and the entire audience rose to their feet to witness their soon-to-be King enter.

Levi frowned, finding it hard to see above the men around him, and to his surprise, was directed by Nanaba towards the center aisle of the wall so he could watch Erwin enter from the other end. First came the priest, swinging a lantern filled with boiling rose petals in front of him. While Levi found this an unusual practice, he deemed it to be a natural sight for a kingdom named after the flower. Afterwards, Carolina followed him, carrying with her a large ornate looking book. Third in the sequence, and gaining swoon-worthy gasps of surprise and delight from the audience was none other than Prince Erwin himself, who Levi found he could not take his eyes off of. The prince was clad in a tight fitting, crimson red coat-tail jacket, with silver buttons and trim. Jet black velvet also adored his cuffs and collar, designed to lay against his chest and expose the elegant, silver, high-collar shirt he wore underneath. A stripe of the bright red fabric followed down the crisp white leg of his pants. He wore no boots, but open-footed shoes that criss-crossed over his feet in elegant black lines, before ending in a tall, slender heel. Levi was amazed that he could walk so gracefully with such shoes on, as he never stumbled or fell off time with the rest of the arriving lineup.

As he turned to face the castle, stopping in the middle of the front gate fifty feet away from where Levi and Nanaba stood watching, Levi was exposed to the large cutlass strapped to his left side, and the waist-long, silk black cape that had the crest of the Smith family embroidered onto it in green thread.

Levi gasped, surprised by Erwin's appearance. He was shockingly bright in comparison to the crowd, and Levi gathered the colour of his outfit was indeed to pay tribute the flower of the kingdom.

Miche followed alongside Erwin, bringing up the end of the arriving party. He stood off to the side as both Erwin's guardian and witness, clad in the same traditional outfit he wore at the ball. Levi was surprised to find that Miche also wore a thin band of silver around his head, with his hair parted off to the sides of his face so that his bright eyes - for once - were exposed.

"We are gathered here today to bear witness for a new King to lead this thriving kingdom of the Rose into our future years." The priest began, parting his hands and opening them wide as he broke the silence that had descended on them.

A small breeze picked up, coming from the sea and bringing with it the scent of the ocean salt. Levi inhaled fully, preparing to stand through the entire, lengthy speech of the priest's, before the official crowning was done. The scent of the ocean felt refreshing and he sighed in happiness as he exhaled, watching the ceremony with his undivided attention. The breeze continued and played through his hair, and dusted at his hands, and he bit his lower lip, before turning his face towards the kingdom to feel the wind graze his cheek.

For a moment he was distracted by the view of the audience below, amazed by how many people had come out to see the coronation, amazed by how large the crowd had become. People stood on rooftops, balconies, and animals to watch, while others hung out of windows or piled crates on top of wagons for makeshift seats. Clearly they had cared for the monarch of their kingdom, whether because they idolized them or because they were responsible for the kingdom's livelihood. The scene was both breath-taking and terrifying: these people clearly loved their monarch, as proven by their fierce dedication to such ceremonies, but they were also the subject of prince, soon king, Erwin, and therefore were also soon to be his own subjects through their marriage. It was a scary thought for Levi, that without any form of training or inheritance he would suddenly be a leader to such a large amount of people - people, he felt and knew to be, directly or rather completely depended on him and his husband as their sole leaders and guiding figures. And, perhaps for the first time in any of the kingdoms, they would be the first same-sex couple to wed and lead. Their every move and decision would be watched and debated by these very people gathered on the slopes of Rose Castle, not only because they were their leaders, but because they were a new and unusual change for the people in this kingdom.

He tried to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat, forcing himself to look down and focus on the cool seaside breeze tousle his hair and chill his heated skin. When he looked up again, determined to face his soon-to-be subjects for one final glance, he found his vision of them was blocked by a noble woman that had silently and stealthily come to stand by his side. Her face was covered with a lilac veil, the same colour as her entire outfit, but sheer enough for him to make out the lavish gold crown under the material, perched on top of her elaborate updo.

"You have nothing to worry about, Levi."

Levi's jaw dropped open in shock, amazed the woman knew exactly was he was thinking and exactly who he was despite the fact that they had never met before. He was sure that he had never met her at the ball, his mind racing through the many names and faces he had been introduced to that night. He closed his mouth, then opened it again, trying to ask her his questions but failing to make any sounds at all.

The woman continued to look in the future-king's direction, keeping her face profile to him. She only giggled innocently in a low voice, and he could see the corner of her lips pulled up in an amused smile.

"Don't be so surprised, Levi. I've watched you for quite some time now, since you've entered Rose kingdom to be perfectly honest with you." She paused to lick her pink lower lip, biting down on it gently in the same way that Erwin would whenever he was nervous, then continued, never turning her attention off the blonde prince fifty feet away. "You're a natural, you'll be fine at his side. You belong there. And the people will come to know that. In time they will learn to adore you, just as they adore their prince."

Levi glanced back towards Erwin, watching him be surrounded by smoke by the priest's torch, then turned his attention back to the strange woman, completely bewildered and enamoured by her. "You really...you really think so?" He asked, surprised by his own words. He had so many questions, and yet he found himself asking such a rethorical one.

The woman smiled but there was a laugh clear as day on her lips, and her left cheek turned a faint rose colour under her veil as she admired the blonde prince from a distance. Her soft musical voice was calming, and Levi found himself hanging onto every word she spoke, "You don't see yourself the way he does, Levi. You're compassionate, understanding, and just. Loyal, intelligent, but above all else, you're strong. A leader needs to have compassion and intelligence, but they also need the strength to be able to actually use which when. And you do.

"Erwin loves you, wholeheartedly and passionately. I haven't seen him so enamoured by anyone in his entire life. Clearly, he sees something in you that makes him light up the way he does now, and I can only be eternally grateful that you came into his life, even if it was under the circumstances that you did."

"How did you hear about the situation?" Levi asked in a breathless whisper. He was sure the castle staff had kept the details of the incident rather quiet for the time being, wanting to keep things from getting out to other kingdoms until Erwin had taken the throne. He tried to recall seeing this particular woman amongst Queen Smith's ladies-in-waiting, since she was so elegantly dressed and confessed to being around longer than he was, but he found he couldn't recall her voice or face from any memory.

The woman only chuckled in her throat again, but there was pain in her smile this time. "I've been here the entire time, Levi. I've watched the entire thing play out, with guilt, with _fear_ , but also with hope. You woke up afraid, desiring to say something but never actually saying it. And because you were hesitant, I _feared_ you. I was afraid of what you were hiding. But I knew when I saw you meet the prince that you meant no harm to him or anyone in Rose kingdom. You were just as much a victim of the Sina royals as any of us here, and you were my only hope for our survival. Your sacrifices were never in vain. You saved more than the life of a prince; you saved the lives of every person in this kingdom who would otherwise have suffered under the tyrannical rule of the Dok family.

"While there was nothing I could do to physically help you, I was always there in the background, trying to be the voice of reason, trying to be _heard_. I know what it's like to love and lose, and I didn't want that to happen to you and Erwin. You complete each other, you belong together. Being forced to remain silent, in the background of your lives, I've born witness to the happiness and light you create in each other's lives. And I'm honoured to witness it."

Levi was amazed to find that his eyes had welled up with tears, surprised but honoured by the strange woman's soft but honest words. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but he found himself unable to move a muscle as he stared at her, still completely profile to him, speaking to him in her soft musical voice.

It surprised him when she suddenly turned to face him, and not just her face but her entire body as well, turning and lowering the lilac veil from her head so he could see her pale blonde hair and bright blue eyes, fringed by the same fair, long lashes as his fiancé's. Her skin was a pale shade of white, cold from the lack of blood flow beneath her flesh, and the sight of the oval green gemstone resting on the same bloodless skin of her exposed neckline caused his own skin to freeze and his hair to stand on end with fright. When she spoke again, there was an odd echo to her voice, as if she were speaking to him from within a deep cave. And yet, despite being a distance from the tree covered in wind chimes in the graveyard overlooking the sea, there was a mixture of chime-like bells highlighting her soft and flowing voice with graceful peals of unearthly wonder.

"My son _loves_ you, Levi, and I know you are the _only_ person suited to be by his side, as a husband, and as a prince. I _know_ you will both love and honour, aid and protect each other, for all the days of your lives, and perhaps endlessly. I wanted to extend my blessing to you, and welcome you into our family as his chosen bride. And thank you, for saving my son's life; words cannot describe your sacrifice, it can only be equated to something as strong as love. I can't stay, but please know, I will always be looking out for you and Erwin."

Levi found his mouth had gone completely dry and he gasped in shock for a moment. He realized he hadn't inhaled for a long duration of time, surprised by the words and appearance of Erwin's mother by his side, but once he blinked and caught his breath, intend to reply to her, he found she had disappeared just as silently as she had come to his side. The breeze from the ocean fell and left them under the faint rays of the sun, yet he found himself cold.

He pressed his hands together for warmth, then turned to Nanaba with pale lips.

"T-th-thirsty." He managed to speak, watching his guard's eyes widened with surprise.

The blonde nodded, turning to another servant and requesting that water be brought at once.

Levi turned back to his right, hoping to meet the sea-blue eyes of the beautiful woman again, but he was only met with a view of the crowd gathered outside the castle walls to celebrate the crowning of the prince. He hated to admit feeling disappointed when his eyes never found her again, but his heart beat faster as he heard her all-too-familiar giggle from behind him, heading to his left, just as the sea breeze picked up and fell out again.

He turned, eager to catch one last fleeting glance of her, but only caught a soft highlight of lilac on the breeze, flowing towards Erwin, and taking the enchanting innocent laughter with it. Only Nanaba stood beside him, watching him with large, confused eyes, holding out a goblet of water for him. His sharp, bright eyes were full of concern, and fear, and Levi realized he was perhaps behaving strangely to those around him that hadn't been a part of his conversation with the late-queen.

"Is everything alright, Prince Levi?" Nanaba asked him, speaking to him in a quiet voice.

Levi took the goblet with trembling hands, taking a long drink from it, before answering Nanaba.

"I...think I panicked." He replied, making the decision to keep Eleanor's words to himself. He took another drink, then gave the blonde guard a shy smile.

"Understandably." Nanaba smiles at him, "Please, don't hesitate to let me know these things, Prince. I don't want you feeling unwell. I know this must all be so overwhelming."

Levi nodded as he handed the goblet back to Nanaba, "Thank you." He whispered, "And I will. I just...this is all so new to me."

He turned his attention back to the ceremony as Nanaba handed the goblet of water back to the staff that had brought it. The priest had finished saying what he needed to and was now apparently touching Erwin's shoulders, blessing him with each of the elements,

"-the earth of the south, the air of the north, and the sacred waters of the west."

Levi shifted to see the priest touch Erwin's chest with his hand, placing a lush green leaf against him, before motioning over his face with his empty palm, and finally his left shoulder with water that he had dipped his hand into prior. He watched in fascination, bemused that the Rose coronation was less lavish and more in tune with nature than the Sina one, but he found that despite the feeling of surprise, he was proud of the Rose traditions. He poked at the feeling, feeling foreign and fake, as if he was trying too hard to fit in or play out the role of the newcomer for longer than necessary, but he found that the surprise stemmed from a feeling of pride and acceptance, as if he had been welcomed home, or rather, that he had found his place in the world.

"Blessed be-" the throng of nobles around him repeated after the priest, and the chorus of their voices brought Levi back to the ceremony again. He watched as the elements that had touched the prince were now being passed amongst the crowd, with many of the nobles taking sips of the water or rubbing the hands together with the dirt. He turned to Nanaba and let his jaw drop open, seeking instructions rather than answers.

"Do what feel comfortable." The blonde responded, "Or pass along whatever comes your way. It's not required. Besides, you'll probably be hit with dirt and water after your wedding anyways."

Levi blushed, feeling his face heat up at the guard's words. The passing of the elements made it hard for him to see, but the next part of the ceremony seemed to center on Miche, and not Erwin, which Levi hadn't seen done elsewhere. Usually, coronations were reserved for only the king to take their place as the leader of the kingdom, but here in Rose they seemed to ensure the king was provided for as well. It seemed fair at first, but the more Levi considered it, the more arrogant it appeared to him: the fact that the king would be so lavishly welcomed to his position and then to be so heavily protected and adored felt excessive. He supposed that was part of the traditions that made Rose Kingdom less than humble, just like its architecture.

The sword at Miche's side was produced and given to the priest, who blessed it and handed it to the king-to-be. The blonde captain sunk to his knees before his friend, and bowed his head, keeping his hands clasped as if in prayer in front of his chest. Erwin placed the blade at Miche's neck, holding it with a firm and unwavering grip.

"Do you swear to protect the king with your life at all costs?" The priest asked, to which Miche responded nothing more than a solemn "I do."

The question was repeated by Carolina, and finally by the king-to-be himself.

"Will you serve loyalty, fiercely, and honestly to your last breath?"

"I will."

And again, the question was repeated by Carolina and Erwin.

"Do you swear by punishment of death should you abandon your charge or commit treason against the king, for any reason, including benefiting the kingdom?"

"I do."

And the last question was met with the same answer repeated each time the question was asked.

"Then I beseech you," Erwin commanded Miche, "as future king, to take thy blade and stand by my side, now and forevermore."

Levi watched with surprise as Miche was handed his sword, blade-first, and had accepted it in his bare hand. Red blood poured from his palm as the sharp metal tore his skin, which he then offered to the king. Erwin dipped his finger in the wound, then anointed Miche's forehead with the symbol of the king's main guard, smearing the crimson blood on the silver metal of his crown, and onto his skin.

"That's...chilling." Levi breathed, unsure of if he were horrified or awe-inspired by the act of loyalty between the two. He turned to face Nanaba with a look of sudden concern, just as Miche was being blessed with the smoke from the priest's dish of fire. "God, that won't be at the wedding, would it?" He asked.

Nanaba stuffed his fist into his mouth to keep from laughing out loud at Levi's reaction. "N-no, your highness." He replied, "It will not. At least, not towards you."

Levi tried not to wince too loudly and gazed back at the front. The priest was now asking Erwin questions, following the same procedure that he had asked Miche his devotion towards.

"Do you swear to lead the kingdom into the future under the highest level of integrity?" The priest asked, to which Erwin responded in a similar manner to Miche, speaking in a low, clear voice, "I do."

Unlike when questioning Miche, Erwin did not have the question repeated for him.

"Will you serve your kingdom with loyalty, justice, and honesty, until your last breath?"

Again, Erwin nodded and solemnly vowed, "I will."

"Do you swear by punishment of death should you abandon your charge or commit treason against the kingdom, for any reason, including but not limited to revoking the freedoms or enslaving the kingdom's people for private gain or indulgence?"

"I do."

"And do you swear, to publicly take your own on your sword, should you be found guilty for committing wrongdoings against the kingdom of the Rose, or surrendering to the justice of the people if otherwise?"

"I do."

Levi turned to Nanaba, his face pale at the solemn vows Erwin was taking. "These are the king's vows?" He asked the guard. "I have never heard of them so... so bold and binding."

"That's because you haven't been in a kingdom where the people have some say in how their kingdom is run." Nanaba replied, "Legend has it that the first King Smith had led a party of vigilantes to the castle and stormed it, beheading the first king of the kingdom, who had become corrupt with greed. From then on, he had begun to rule, and the kingdom was renamed after the Rose for its beauty and its colour; red, as the streets had been run with blood during the revolt."

Levi's eyes widened and he nodded in understanding. "So those words are-"

"There to honour that history, your highness. The Smith family has always been just."

By the time Levi had returned his attention to the front, Erwin was once more front and center, but above him was Carolina, not the priest. The aged man blessed and handed the old woman the king's sword, which she then offered him and he accepted.

"-the tool to which you will guide our kingdom, in times of pleasure as well as despair."

She then took a thick golden necklace, the very kind of necklace Levi had seen King Smith wear before, and placed it around Erwin's neck,

"As well as the chain of office, to bind you as our leader and commander."

Levi felt his throat dry and his tongue turn heavy as he watched the priest bless the golden crown that Carolina afterwards took from him. She held the golden circle as high up as she could, before she slowly lowered the crown onto Erwin's head.

"And finally, with this crown, I pronounce you king of Rose kingdom, ruler and responsible for all subjects that enter, remain in, and serve you in this blessed kingdom."

There was a moment of silence in which Levi was sure everyone in the immediate view of the coronation held their breath, and then all at once a loud chorus of cheering began as soon as the newly-crowned king turned to face his subjects. Under the glow of the brilliant sun, the king looked radiant and proud, standing tall and confident before his people.

"My people," Erwin began, his voice clear and full of authority ringing out for even the subjects at the back of the great crowd to hear, "It is not only a privilege, but an absolute honour, to be crowned as your next king. And the vows I have taken before you today I promise to uphold to the utmost highest degree of trust, diligence, and devotion. It is important to remember on a day such this one, that as I stand before you, above you, I am no different than you. I am here to lead us, all of us, into the future, I am here to listen to your needs and wants, I am here to ensure that our kingdom learns, prospers, and that all of humanity is safe and loved."

The crowd, adoring their new king's speech, began to clap and cheer. Levi watched their reaction with warmth in his chest; seeing how the people admired their king, and how their king admired his people, reassured him that Rose Kingdom would have many fortunate years ahead of itself, and would not suffer a downfall, such that Sina Kingdom did.

"But, as you may know, behind every king," Erwin paused, looking downwards at the ground and sighing softly before he took a step forwards. "Behind every king is an admirable, silent supporter. They take no credit for the amount of work they do, and they do it out of love. Often, more often than not, this individual takes the presence of a queen. But for me, this individual is a prince."

Erwin turned and reached an arm out, looking directly at Levi, who stood fifty feet away.

"Now's the time." Nanaba poked Levi's arm, "Go to him."

Levi's cheeks filled with heat and he found it near impossible to make his legs start to move. Slowly, unable to feel his feet touching the ground after each step, he moved forwards. The walk seemed to drag on endlessly, and yet he felt that if he sped up he were to appear too desperate, too clingy, too much like Lana. He immediately shook the idea off, trying to keep himself from thinking too much about the Zacklys, and focused on keeping his breathing even. When he was close enough, he reached out and took Erwin's outstretched hand, before turning to face the crowd with him.

Erwin guided them forwards, gently tugging Levi's hand so that he was prompted to step up besides him rather than stay close behind him.

"I present to you your future prince of Rose Kingdom, Levi." Erwin announced, before letting go of the smaller man's hand only to place his arm around his shoulders instead. "We will have a public wedding here, a week from today."

The amount of cheering that followed the announcement surprised Levi; he was sure that the crowd would have harboured hesitations against a same-sex couple, or at the least held suspicion against him for his background. He gazed into the crowd, surprised to find that there was admiration, honest adoration, and happiness radiating up from the crowd, and he realized that perhaps their union would be a scary first step towards normalizing couples such as his own, such as Elaina and Isle. He realized that many in this kingdom could be in a position, like he had been, confused and unsure, or perhaps sure and afraid. Already, they had taken their first step together as a couple and as rulers, and he was overwhelmed by the support they had received. And that's when he saw her again, clad in her lilac purple gown towards the back of the crowd. Eleanor moved the veil from her face one last time to display a proud smirk on her painted purple lips, gloating as she silently told him 'I told you so.'


	18. Chapter 18

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

 **Chapter 18 - March 28th - Evening**

As the sun began it's slow descent in the sky, the nobles headed into the castle to continue their private celebrations of their new king's coronation. The townspeople were reported heading to various drinking establishments to celebrate both their new king and their survival after the raid, leaving the castle walls empty except for the stationed guards. Levi walked with Erwin, arm-in-arm back into the castle, having not been released from his side since he was announced as the King's bride. They were greeted by many people stopping them to congratulate the king on both his coronation and his engagement. Levi was surprised by the amount of people that were addressing him in their well-wishes as well. Miche and Nanaba followed them at a short distance, staying close by their sides and making sure that their charges were safe from the throng of people congratulating them.

"You should have your portraits painted in those outfits!" Carolina squealed, coming to wrap them both in a tight hug. Levi grimaced at her words, never having had the privilege of his portrait being painted. The thought that in the future years to come the knowledge that he had even existed wouldn't be completely forgotten startled him out of his thoughts and he jolted in the old woman's embrace. She pulled away, as if the shock from Levi had sent his very thought into her own aged mind, and her mouth dropped open in sudden realization. "Oh! Erwin!" She turned to face the King. "He's never had his portrait done! You should-"

Erwin put up his hand, cutting the old woman off mid-sentence. "Schedule it for anytime this week." He smirked, then turned and pressed a kiss to Levi's hair, "I want to remember my bride like this forever."

Levi blushed at the blonde's side, then mumbled something about not being sure about the entire thing. Behind him Miche and Nanaba snickered, amused by the prince's reaction.

"You know, Levi," Miche smirked, "Most people would be glad to be immortalized by a proper portrait." he teased.

"I know." Levi sighed, "But I just..." he looked down, frowning as his words failed to express himself accurately.

"Don't feel ready for it yet?" Erwin asked, shaking their hands together lightly to catch his attention.

"Yeah." Levi mumbled, "I guess." He turned to smile at Erwin.

"Well, you'll be ready tomorrow." Carolina practically sang, excited about the whole situation. "I'll go find the artist and schedule him."

"Are you sure he's going to be available on such short notice?" Erwin asked, surprised by Carolina's easy shrug.

"Oh, he's already booked." Miche smirked, watching the look of surprise and realization dawn on Erwin's face. "For your coronation portrait." he chuckled.

Levi laughed, amused by the sudden announcement.

"So we'll have the engagement one done first, and then you'll have a break before we dress you up all over again." Carolina laughed, patting the king's shoulder.

"How lovely." Erwin managed, speaking as though he had been winded.

"Welcome to the regal life." Carolina reminded him, laughing softly as he groaned.

"Speaking of which," Miche cut into the conversation again, determined to steer it towards a more official agenda as they began to head towards the dining hall for their dinner celebration. "One of the first assignments you have as king is to ensure the prisoners do not wait very long for a fair trial. Some have been in there since before the raid, so it's been over a week for some of them."

"That's too long." Erwin mumbled, "My father always sought to empty the cells at least once a week."

Levi glanced at Nanaba, wondering if the man had forgotten about their prior agreement, but the blonde had already met his eyes and nodded. He hurried to Miche's side, bringing up the question of Levi's presence.

"The whole day is going to be gone on the portraits tomorrow." Erwin mumbled, "But perhaps the day after, then we'll look at the prisoners - at least the ones that have been there since before the raid. I have a duty to keep this kingdom running, regardless of if I'm to be married in the coming days or not."

Levi blushed, "I wouldn't want to keep you from your duties, your highness." he teased.

"Oh, you wouldn't be." Erwin smirked, "I just want to surprise you with the wedding."

Levi rolled his eyes. "I'm sure I will be."

Nanaba smirked and touched the couple's entwined hands. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I must take the prince to the table now."

Erwin paused before the doors to the dining hall and stared at Nanaba in confusion. He glanced at Levi, then to the doors, and finally back to Levi again. "I see." He nodded, "I should enter alone this time."

"This time." Carolina nodded, taking hold of Levi's free hand. She escorted him away with Nanaba, leaving Erwin alone with Miche.

"This way," Nanaba escorted them, "We are to sit at Erwin's left hand." The blonde guard led them to their seats, taking his place between Levi and Carolina.

"Would I need the same grooming for the portrait tomorrow then?" Levi asked Carolina, falling into tableside conversation while they awaited the start of the dinner.

"No, I wouldn't dream of it." Carolina chuckled, "But we will have the same outfits, and to your horror, lip paint." She teased.

"Speaking of," Levi began, "I have a request-"

The sound of trumpets cut their conversation off and the hall descended into silence again. There was no announcement, only the doors loudly opening at the north end of the hall, and then King Erwin appeared, walking towards the head of the table. Captain Miche followed a step behind him, coming to stand by his right-hand side. Erwin motioned to the empty chair to his right, signifying for Miche to take his seat, so the captain nodded his head in obedience and took his seat across from Levi. Erwin remained standing.

"My peers," he began, "My court. My team. You are the strong, intelligent, and hardworking descendants of the people my grandfather relied on to run this kingdom. And my father after him. And so now will I. I know it is not necessary that I say anything at this point in time, but I wanted to take the opportunity to thank you, all of you, for being here, for working alongside me - and my family - and for supporting us - and this kingdom - in our times of need. I ask of you to enjoy the night, indulge in the food, the company, the warmth, and all that Rose Kingdom has to offer, safe with the knowledge that while we might not all be related by blood or license, we are all family gathered at this table."

He took his seat as the table errupted into cheers and calls of gratitude towards him, then raised his arms and motioned to the food that ladened the table before them. "Please, eat." he invited them, then reached out to begin making his own plate.

Levi watched the king with admiration, noting how easily Erwin had persuaded everyone into believing in his ability, despite being new to taking the throne. He found himself following Erwin's decisions, taking a serving of the food the king had just taken a helping of himself.

Erwin smirked at Levi, noticing how his plate was a mirror copy of his own.

"My love?" he questioned, glancing at the plate.

"You make a wonderful leader." Levi replied.

The statement surprised Erwin, and to Levi's amusement, the blonde's cheeks tainted pink. He took a bite of his chicken to avoid having to reply.

"So you chose the walls for the wedding as well?" Levi pushed, prompting the king to speak to him again.

"I didn't really have a choice." Erwin replied, "It was that or the courtyard-"

"And the courtyard was too traditional?" Levi teased.

Erwin gave his head a small shake, surprised by Levi's knowledge. "Yes. How did you know?"

"Perception." Levi teased, tossing a remark that would remind Erwin of another conversation regarding a dinner they had attended a while ago. He flashed his king a smile, then took a sip of his rose water. "I figured you would have wanted the wedding on the boat."

"I did for a time." Erwin replied, trying not to appear surprised by how coolly Levi spoke to him about such intimate topics; he was sure discussions about their wedding, his hobby of sea-faring, and kingdom traditions would be tense for them to speak about. He was relieved that they were otherwise. "But I reconsidered for my people," he smiled as Levi nodded to his words, then decided to stop the dark-haired man in his tracks as well. "And of course, for you."

Levi paused. Erwin smirked. He tilted his head as he raised his own glass, as if to celebrate his accomplishment of surprising Levi with his words, then took a sip of his champagne.

"Care to explain?" Levi prompted, trying to appear understanding despite his obvious confusion.

Miche hid a chuckle behind a bite of his food and met Carolina's eyes. It was obvious he was amused by how flirtatious and yet balanced Erwin and Levi were behaving, professional yet pleasurable. It warmed his heart to see his friend so happy, so caught up in the blessings love had to offer them.

"I simply mean to say that I find the ship quite an...intimate place for us." Erwin began, then realized how Levi interpreted his words when the black-haired man's silver eyes widened with shock and he choked on his water. The king rushed to correct himself, blushing as Miche burst into laughter at his side, realizing as well what Levi immediately thought the reference was to. "I meant to refer to how the kingdom can't board the ship with us, that the wedding would then have to be private and such. And then how will that be a wedding worthy of welcoming you to the kingdom and prince-hood? I was not referring to- not- not the memory you think of."

Levi and Miche chuckled, hiding their faces behind napkins and trying to keep from letting the ones further down the table realize anything scandalous was being referred to.

Erwin blushed, taking a sip of his champagne and resorting to silence to keep from making the situation any more awkward. Carolina chuckled and smiled sympathetically at him, but was also unable to hide her amusement.

"Come now Levi," Erwin smirked, "You are the bride afterall."

A clatter caused a sea of heads to turn to glance at Levi, whose fork had fallen against the table as he inhaled with surprise at Erwin's words. His pale face was stained pink with embarrassment and what Erwin knew to be arousal.

"We'll...we'll see." Levi replied to Erwin in a coy voice, once the attention of the entire table had fallen off himself.

Erwin chuckled, amused and aroused by Levi's playfulness. But before he had a chance to reply, Carolina jumped in with a question about the next few days.

"So would you be sailing any time soon?" She asked, lifting a forkful of food to her lips but pausing before taking the bite. "Before the wedding, I mean." She clarified.

Erwin paused, and his bushy eyebrows knit together. "I don't think so, Carolina." he replied, "I honestly can't imagine if I would have the time."

"Make the time." Levi pushed, his words spoken quietly and his eyes on his plate.

"W-what?" Erwin asked, his tone surprised as he was clearly taken aback by Levi's words.

"Make the time." Levi repeated, emphasizing his words again. He looked into Erwin's eyes as he spoke. "If we don't have the time in the day, why don't we go sailing at night?"

Erwin was stumped by Levi's question. He twirled his fork around between his forefinger and thumb, then laughed once in his throat. "You're right." he finally mumbled, "You're right, we absolutely can go sailing at night."

"Hold on," Miche began, joined by Nanaba and Carolina in a sudden objection.

"No, no." Erwin began. He placed his fork down and held his hands up, requesting silence. "I know you guys are apprehensive about the whole thing, and I know my father would object to the idea, but I'm king now. I see no problem with it. I love the sea. If we stay close to the coast, we aren't in any danger. Besides, I'll take a crew out with me. You guys are welcome to come as well. Why can't we go out to sea one of the nights this week? Just one?"

Levi looked around the table, hoping that Erwin's words were as persuasive as before.

"One night?" Miche repeated, "Just one? I...I think we can handle just the one night."

Erwin chuckled weakly, "Were you thinking I'd take to sleeping on the water _every_ night?"

Levi smirked, "Given their reaction, I'd say you're not that far off."

Erwin laughed, "I enjoy the sea but probably not _that_ much."

"So, when would you want to go?" Carolina asked, taking a second helping of the mashed potatoes with carrots and herbs.

"Well, perhaps tomorrow night?" Erwin asked, "Since we're having the portraits done tomorrow, then perhaps it would be good for us to have some activity afterwards. We can return in the morning and have court-"

"For the prisoners?" Levi asked, suddenly interested.

"Yes." Erwin replied, "That should take half the day, seeing as we only have three inmates currently in the cells that were arrested before the raid."

"Two." Miche corrected him, chuckling as he spoke. "Levi was one of them."

The table surrounding them erupted in laughter. Levi blushed and looked down, but looked up again when he felt a warmth envelope his hand; Erwin smiled at him, holding his hand. He was also chuckling, but the affection that radiated off of him ensured Levi that he was laughing at the situation and not at the man.

"Levi wants to be present so we'll have the hearing in the morning when we return." Erwin began again.

"However, for the afternoon I will need to steal him." Carolina broke in. "I'm sorry Erwin, but wedding matters."

Erwin rolled his eyes. "Alright then. Is there any other pressing issues that I need to resolve as king before we return to a regular routine after the wedding?"

"What about King Zackly?" Carolina asked, "I don't want to be the one to bring him up but shouldn't we release him before the wedding?"

Their section of the table fell quiet as they all looked at one another. Finally, Erwin shrugged. "I want to say he's not that important." He replied, his tone bitter and sarcastic. "At least for the next few days, perhaps he should have some time down there. It might do him some good to stay out from the public view for a little bit. And then I can speak to him about the seriousness of his crimes afterwards. Perhaps his absence at my wedding might give me some more leverage over him?"

Miche grinned, enjoying this idea. Carolina's lips were a tight line, but then she nodded once as well.

"That's not a bad idea," Miche commented. "In a way, he is criminally responsible for his wife's actions. Or at least to his inactions of reporting anything. Or fleeing. He has a lot of explaining to do. The time in isolation would give him some time for him to prepare his answers. We have time to revisit the idea."

Erwin nodded again. "Good. Then...anything else that should be resolved prior to the wedding?"

"God, I'm going to hate to suggest this, but perhaps that's a question for the council?" Miche uttered.

"A council meeting?" Erwin asked, and the tone of surprise was obvious in his voice. Previously he had hated the dreaded council meetings and wondered why his father called so many. Now they seemed like a relief that he could depend on a team to make decisions regarding the kingdom with. "That's... not a bad idea actually. We should re-prioritize the list of things my father was attending to."

"I'll inform Hanji." Miche responded, "We'll hold council the day after tomorrow."

"And I suggest you do nothing more afterwards." Carolina replied, "The wedding invites will be sent out tomorrow, so the nearest neighbours will be arriving by then."

"Neighbours?" Levi asked, his focus on the spinach and seaweed rolls on his plate. He hadn't spoken in a minute, having become distracted by his thoughts. "How many invitations were sent?"

"A thousand." Nanaba replied, speaking up for the first time since dinner began. "Most probably won't attend, but it's-"

"Tradition." Levi finished the sentence for him. "I know."

Erwin, Carolina, and Miche chuckled at Levi's tone.

"How many of the thousand are we expecting then?" he asked, filling his mouth with food to avoid having to reply right away.

"Well, there would be Erwin's sister, and her fiancee." Miche began to list, "And then perhaps any of our immediate royal family ties from there."

"Meaning?" Levi prompted, unsure of how far the Smith family extended.

"Oh, well, it isn't a matter of blood family here, Levi." Carolina interjected, saving Erwin and Miche from answering. "But what we've come to refer to as 'the royal family,' so the kings and queens of the neighbouring realms, and if not them then their representatives. Sons or daughters, nieces or nephews, just someone from the royal line to represent their family here to ensure good politics."

Levi nodded following along. "So, anyone from Sina Kingdom?" He asked, afraid his question would shatter the tension their end of the table seemed suddenly engulfed in.

All eyes turned to Carolina, indicating that she was the only one who knew who exactly was invited to the wedding and who was not. She sighed heavily, taking the time to look each one of them in the eyes, before she placed her elbow on the table and rested her cheek in her palm, keeping her body turned so she would face them as she spoke.

"I'm not sure yet." She admitted, "Tradition says to invite them, but after the situation at hand...I'm not sure anymore. King Zackly's children are dead, and his wife murdered our king. So I have nothing to run on because there is no tradition for... such a situation. If King Erwin is content to keep Zackly in the dungeons until afterwards, I think that sums it up."

Levi gave her a strained smile, glad that when he was focused on Carolina his fiancé could not see his expression. "Not that it's my place but... wouldn't not having him present give people a reason to talk? I mean, it's obvious I'm from Sina."

Miche and Nanaba looked down immediately, knowing that it was not their place to make the decision or offer advice. It seemed the entire table was sure that the choice rested on Erwin and Erwin alone, and so the question remained unspoken directly to him.

"What are my options here?" Erwin asked, glancing towards Miche for advice. "I should ask Grisha this. He'd know the political implications inside and out."

The table fell silent once more as the absence of the king's advisor was heavily noted.

"I would need to know your decision by tomorrow morning." Carolina stated, hoping that Erwin would take his time with the decision.

"Well, no. Let's talk about this." Erwin began, "I know it's hard but it has to be done. I have the option to invite him or not, there's really no in between. I can't release him from the dungeon and have him appear like a dirty rat, but if I don't invite him then you're right, we risk telling the other royals what happened here. And for better or for worse, there's implications for everyone involved if we are to do that."

"Don't they deserve to know the truth?" Levi asked quietly, speaking softly and in a tone that conveyed his innocence, and yet ignorance, of how nobility functioned.

Erwin flipped his hand so that it was palm-up, indicating that Levi had a fair point. "But," he replied, pausing to swallow the food he had been chewing, "if we do that, we risk a lot of things, Levi. Your status, for instance. Your story. Not that any of us have a problem with it, but people will talk. And that can affect the kingdom. We're already leading into a new age of same-sex marriage. In a way, it's already a scandal. And it's going to be even more of one after Elaina is married."

"And I should add that the political situation of a kingdom attempting to use marriage as a means to overthrow another royal family would be scandalous in itself, and hard for some of them to accept." Grisha's deep voice cut in. "You might not be cast as the innocent family if you were to expose the truth."

"Grisha!" Erwin rose and wrapped his arms around the advisor. "Thank luck you came along now!"

"I saw you all with your heads bent together and figured it was on a matter I could perhaps bring some light to." Grisha replied with humour in his voice.

"You figured right!" Erwin replied with a relieved smile. "Bring up a chair, sit with us please."

An attendant appeared with a chair for Grisha to take a place at the corner of the table, wedging himself between the king and his captain. The advisor thanked the attendant before requesting a glass of red wine, then focused their conversation back to where it was before he interrupted,

"So, Prince Levi, if we were to tell all the nobility, it's going to start a chain reaction. Firstly, and most importantly, there's the issue that the nobility will feel compelled to take sides, and thus divide themselves into allies or enemies. This is only going to worsen the issue that the entire marriage was suppose to fix - that being the declining political state due to the emerging threats of empire rather than individual kingdom working together. And while none of it was your fault, you will - as a matter of face - be questioned on your involvement, which could lead to...negative things; negative outcomes for both the future endeavours you and Erwin are no doubt going to try and resolve, but also negative implications for you yourself. To the point of - realistically speaking and in no way sugarcoating - potential death threats or attempts. Onwards, we would also face the inability to effectively _prove_ what happened here, which - while all of us, King Zackly included - know to be true, it's an unknown to us if he would accuse us of lying, and therefore only make the situation of dividing the nobility worse. And then there's simply the issue of us accusing another royal family of doing an unholy thing, blah, blah, blah. For the more... uh, religious kingdoms, you know. It's just going to mess of the politics we are already in a mess with."

"That sums it up nicely." Erwin mumbled, clearly unhappy about the lengthy explanation Grisha had no issue in professionally presenting. "In essence, we uphold tradition, try to be the better man, and invite Zackly - while risking that he would talk about the events here leading up to my father's passing - or," he paused, then shrugged, "we ignore him and tradition, and continue on with our lives until he is ready to make amends himself. And hope that his absence is not particularly noted by any of the guests."

Levi nodded along, listening intently to Erwin's tone rather than his actual words. From experience, he could already tell which option appealed to the king more and it was with difficulty he hid his smile.

"What do you advice, Grisha?" Erwin asked.

"I think I know what you want to do." Grisha replied, a smirk on his lips.

"I think we all do." Miche added, glancing at Levi and then to Erwin.

"It's settled then." Erwin replied, "We ignore him and all that kingdom has to offer, until Zackly makes the first move to make amends when we speak to him at trial after the wedding."

Grisha hissed, gritting his teeth. "Is that your final decision, Erwin?" He asked, "I understand the circumstances-"

"He murdered my father." Erwin blatantly cut off his advisor's attempt to reason with him, his own tone empty and void of emotion. "He nearly murdered me. And if given the chance, he would murder my prince-bride."

The area surrounding them fell into a silence that mirrored the somber tone only death could bring. Erwin took his time gazing at Grisha, letting the darkness in the depths of his seablue eyes speak the words that he could not.

"Actually, and you may find me being irrational, but I want nothing to do with that kingdom until he has given me reason to. As for the few trades we have with them, I have no intention to uphold them and supply his kingdom with payment when I know how he treats his people: unjust, unfair, and inhumane. I want nothing to do with it. I will speak to him about the implications of his actions - or rather inactions - regarding this marriage, and then I will inform him that until his kingdom is run under fair rule, I will cut the trade agreements and arrange them with other kingdoms. I'll pay extra if I must for overseas trade. But I won't be making dealings with a man the likeliness of Zackly. He's either consumed by greed or blind to his late-wife's outrageous ways."

Grisha nodded, aware that Erwin was speaking directly to him. "I will look into alternative trade right away, Sire." he replied.

"Thank you." Erwin whispered, and the two words of gratitude he spoke were full of emotion.

"So who is going to be the thousandth invite?" Levi asked.

"Huh?" Carolina asked, the question catching everyone at the table off-guard.

"If we are not going to invite King Zackly or anyone to represent Sina, then we are only have nine-hundred, ninety-nine invitations." Levi reasoned, "Who are we going to replace that with?"

The group looked around to each other, following Levi's logic but having no answer to give him.

"I'm...I'm not sure, Levi." Erwin replied, breaking the silence and being the first one to answer him. "I suppose there just wouldn't be a one-thousandth invitation."

"Oh." Levi replied, "That just seems...weird."

"Like a bad omen?" Nanaba asked, sensing Levi's discomfort.

"A bit, yes." Levi replied. He finished his plate and pushed it further into the table so that he could rest his arms on the tabletop. "I mean, we are going along with tradition. It seems odd to just suddenly break one."

"Then we'll just have to find a one-thousandth invite." Erwin replied, shrugging. "It's no big deal, I'm sure we'll think of someone over the period of the night. We have until tomorrow morning, Carolina?"

The old maid nodded, being caught mid-sip of her drink. "Y-yes." She replied, once she had cleared her mouth, "Tomorrow morning. Before the portraits are painted."

"Meaning," Carla's soft voice cut in as she stepped up to the table between Levi and Nanaba, "that the prince is going to need to be excused for the night now."

"Already?" Erwin asked, "I cannot have a walk with him in the gardens?"

"Not tonight, no." Carla replied, "He's going to need some beauty time, and then he's to head to bed so that he's not tired or dark-eyed for the portrait tomorrow. Maybe you could walk with him after lunch?" she teased.

Erwin frowned, then nodded. "I understand." He replied, speaking first to Carla and then meeting Levi's eyes to address him. "I'll bid him a goodnight now then, my love."

Levi rose from the table, unsure of what exactly was occurring here. "Good night, King Erwin." he replied, gaining a small round of chuckles from their friends. He followed Carla back upstairs, where she hung up his formal clothing for the day. For the first time since yesterday he had been reunited with a mirror, and the crimson-lipped man that looked back at him was shockingly attractive. Distracted by his reflection, Levi turned his full attention to the mirror, ignoring Carla's chatter for the time-being.

"Carla?" He asked, turning his face to the right and then left, watching the way his lips changed in accordance with the new angle.

"Yes, prince Levi?" Carla asked, surprised that he had interrupted her.

"Does anyone in the kingdom wear violet lip stain?" He asked, thinking back to his unfinished request to Carolina at the dinner table, just before Erwin had entered.

Carla stopped moving in the reflection of the mirror, her fingers the only thing that twitched with nervousness. She placed the jug of water she was holding onto the table and sat on the edge of the prince's bed. "Where...did you get that question from?" she asked.

"I...just noticed." Levi began, trying to hide the truth. "Everyone has a variation of red, brown, beige, or pink...I didn't notice anyone with purple. Which surprised me."

"Is purple common in Sina?" Carla asked him, trying to push him for more answers.

"No. Lip stain is not common at all." Levi replied, "But purple is...a beautiful colour. I was wondering if it were possible...to wear purple for the wedding? It's not as bright as red, not as a delicate as pink, and it's not unnatural, like blue."

Carla's breathing became heavy and she closed her eyes for a moment. "I think...I think it's best...if you ask that to my mother." She replied, then rose to her feet. "Come, my prince. Let me take you to remove your makeup and then we can put you to bed."

She escorted Levi to the bathroom, taking him to sit in the chair in the corner and began to mix together several sweet smelling liquids into a small bowl of warm water. Then she dipped a towel into the mixture and dabbed at his face, his eyes, and then his lips, until he no longer had any of the cosmetics on. Carolina had entered then, relieving her daughter of the duty of attending the prince, and upon seeing her daughter's quiet demeanor and spooked expression, she excused her from helping for the rest of the evening. She didn't question him on the matter until they had finished preparing him for bed.

"What have you said to my daughter to put her in such a state, Prince Levi?" Carolina finally asked Levi as she finished brushing through his short hair. She set the brush down on the tray of beauty utensils, then moved so he could pull the blankets up to his chin and settle into bed. "I'm not angry with you. I'm sure it wasn't something you meant to say." She began, not wanting to sound as though she was going to scold her authority.

"I'm not sure, Miss Carolina." Levi replied, his voice full of honest reasoning. "I merely asked her if it would be alright if I wore purple lip stain to the wedding."

Carolina inhaled sharply and quickly turned her face away so he couldn't read her expression. She picked up the tray of brushes and took them to the vanity, placing them down on the tabletop to buy herself time to gather her thoughts and form a honest, yet minimal, answer for him.

"I- I can see why that frightened her now." She replied, then turned to face Levi. "Did you...where did you get this idea, of purple lip stain?" She asked.

"Do you want the answer I gave your daughter or the truth?" Levi asked.

Carolina nodded slowly. "I see." She replied, "Well, what did you tell Carla? And what is the truth?" She asked, coming to sit on the edge of his bed.

Levi shifted to give the old woman more room to sit. "I wouldn't tell you if I didn't trust you." he began, "I told her I just noticed that no one here wore it, and I was curious as to why. Personally, I think the whole lip paint is rather silly, but I respect it and I admit - after seeing the crimson today after dinner - it is quite attractive."

Carolina smiled at the prince's words, glad that he was being honest with her.

"But, I saw a woman today in the crowd at the coronation." Levi was careful of his words, changing some of the details to avoid admitting he may have conversed with the woman; he felt that his conversation with her was too intimate to share with others, even those as close to him as Carolina had become. "She was down in audience with the rest of the townspeople, and it startled me because she did not look like she belonged there. She wore a lilac gown that looked like it was embedded with the sky's worth of stars, and she had a sheer purple veil that kept her blonde hair in place. All I could see of her face was these gorgeous purple lips. And...I wanted to know who she was, because I thought for a moment that...that I saw Eleanor."

Carolina nodded, listening intently to every word he said. She sighed and closed her eyes, then patted the young man's thigh covered by the sheet. "If you saw her, then I think it would be safe to wear it." She replied, "I know it would surprise prince - I'm sorry, King - Erwin."

Levi watched the woman with curiosity in his silver eyes. "You believe me?" He asked her, "That I actually saw her?"

"Oh, don't be silly child." Carolina replied, returning to her own unique and rebuking humour, "I'm a mother myself, and a grandmother too. I know what it's like to desire seeing your child safe and sound. It would be just like Eleanor to see her son be crowned. And if you saw her too, then I'm sure she wanted you to."

"What was Eleanor like?" Levi asked, glad that Carolina hadn't shied away from the topic as her daughter had.

"She was...a very loving mother. And a very loving queen." Carolina began. She looked upwards and Levi could tell from the expression on her face that the old woman was not seeing the ceiling of the room, but the castle as it had been when Queen Eleanor had walked through it. Her expression filled with adoration and she turned to face Levi, suddenly smiling and overjoyed. "Come to think of it, Queen Eleanor had not come to us a princess either. I had been a young lady when she arrived, and I was caring for my younger brother, and learning how to be in charge of the rest of the staff here from my mother. Eleanor...why can't I remember her maiden name?" The old woman mused, seemingly deep in thought. "You know, I don't think she ever had one."

Levi watched with his mouth open and his eyes wide with surprise.

"She was fierce, and protective. She taught her own children how to fight, how to win. She was smart, Eleanor. And she loved the sea. She had actually come to our castle to apply as a sailor. She had no mother and her father had taught her how to survive, so after his passing she came through the kingdom looking for work. Stole the prince's heart, as you see he was betrothed to the lady who was fortunate to become the second Queen Smith." Carolina leaned in to whisper her last sentence, watching Levi's expression of surprise and glee.

"She was just like me then." Levi mumbled, "Just a stranger passing by."

"I think that's why King Smith forgave you so readily." Carolina whispered, "I think you reminded him of his love."

Levi felt a warmth surround him, and despite himself he flushed with a glow of pride. It was an odd feeling to him, to feel like for once he belonged, but it was a beautiful feeling, and an addicting one. He closed his eyes and let himself indulge in the feeling that made him feel accepted. While he had felt something similar when he was at the table with his friends the last few days, the feeling had always been accompanied by the notion that he was foreign and imported. Now he was pleased to find that he wasn't the only one that had stumbled their way into the kingdom and found it was their home.

"Eleanor wore purple every day, she loved the colour. I asked her why and she said it was because her father - a miner - gave her an amethyst ring when she turned sixteen-"

"I'm sixteen." Levi interjected, surprised by the correlation.

Carolina laughed. "Isn't that funny?" She replied, "Now I know the amethyst ring was buried with her, but I think I may be able to convince King Erwin to give you something of the like."

"Would he like to?" Levi asked, suddenly fearing he'd overstepped a boundary. He hurried to make himself clearer as he saw the old woman open her mouth to reassure him. "I wouldn't want to take from their story," he began, looking down at the blanket, "I know Erwin is a man of his own ways, and his mother and father have a beautiful love story. I mean no respect when I say... but it isn't our story. I don't want him to feel like he has to do anything to repeat the past. I want him to do what he feels like doing."

Carolina nodded, understanding him.

"And your story needs you to rest now." She replied, "So, enough talk of the Smith family. Sleep now."

She stood up and adjusted his blankets, then took the candle from his bedside table and blew it out. The moonlight that filtered in through the open windows brought with it a cool breeze, and in the pale light Levi was able to watch the old woman make her way to the door.

"Miss Carolina?" He whispered, initially wanting to sit up but reconsidering it and only straining his neck to look over at her from across the room.

"Yes, Prince Levi?" the old woman replied, keeping her hand on the door handle.

"Will you tell me more later? About Eleanor?"

The old woman nodded, knowing that agreeing with him would put him to sleep sooner. "I'll tell you about the ship." she replied, knowing that the young man would be eager to hear it. The responding smile that caressed the man's lips proved she was right.

"What about the sailor?" He asked, catching her off guard.

"Sailor?" She asked, pausing in the doorway.

"In the prisoner. What's going to happen to him?"

Carolina smiled, sighing as she knew no real answer to the question. "King Erwin will know." she replied, knowing that Levi would take comfort in his lover. She watched him for a moment, making sure he was alright and had exhausted himself of their conversation, then closed the door softly, knowing he would fall asleep in the darkness of the room soon enough.

But Levi couldn't fall asleep. As much as he tried to lie in bed, he only continued to stare up at the ceiling, feeling strangled by this wave of anxiety that seemingly began to choke him without any room was filled with an intense buzzing of energy that made him feel disturbed and wide awake, similar to the energy that had consumed his feelings of security and confidence the night he hid from the guards of Rose Castle in the wreck of the Sina carriage. The disturbance in the atmosphere had no logical placement, as he was safe, loved, and happy. And so it only panicked him with unreasonable fear, that had no way of reassurance since there was nothing that was the matter. And as if that were not enough, despite the windows being opened a jar and the silver moonlight filtering in, the room did not appear as though it were encroached by the dark night. There was a glow of brightness that seemed to originate from nowhere at all, and illuminate the room as if it were everywhere at once.

Levi tossed and turned for many hours, unable to coax his body to sleep. He was mentally tired after such a long day and despite convincing himself multiple times that he was safe, loved, happy, and there was nothing wrong, he couldn't stop the tingling that spread throughout his limbs and made him feel like he were charged with some kind of lightning that made his heart race with irrational fear. Unsettled, exhausted, and unable to explain his intense feelings, he pulled the sheets high over his head and squeezed his eyes shut tight. He breathed slowly and heavily, inhaling fully and then exhaling fully, making the most of each breath. Focusing on his breathing made him empty his mind and lose track of time, until eventually sleep overwhelmed him for the night.

* * *

 **March 29th - Morning**

Sunlight broke through the cloudy sky the next morning, kissing Levi's skin and gently rousing him from sleep. He felt stiff and sore from having stood around for most of yesterday, and his muscles felt seized up. He was sure that today's activities were not going to help his body feel any looser. Still, he was optimistic for their night's scheduled events and he hoped that there would be no cause to alter their plans. He still felt the small pit of anxiety that was building under his stomach, the same pressure that made him feel like he was forgetting something of the utmost importance that he had felt last night before falling asleep, but as it was last night, when he tried to focus on it, the feeling would ebb away into nothingness, leaving him feeling hollow and confused. He pushed the feeling aside, hoping to deal with it later when he was less occupied with learning how to be a proper noble, and was up and gazing at himself in the mirror, wondering what would best flatter his appearance on tonight's sail, when there was a knock at his bedroom door and the now-usual party that accompanied his morning preparations.

"Good morning, prince Levi." Carolina greeted him, leading Carla and Nanaba into his bedroom.

"Good morning to you as well, Miss Carolina, Carla, Nanaba." Levi greeted them in return.

"You seem to be in high spirits today." Carolina commented, coming to his side.

"I suppose you could say I had a good sleep." Levi replied, pausing to stare at his eyes in the mirror; for a moment they appeared dark and lined with coal, but he knew it to be impossible.

"I'm glad." Carla replied, "We brought you breakfast to eat while we prepared you for your portrait today."

Levi nodded, glad that he was able to eat to pass the time that would be needed painting his face as it were yesterday. "Have we found out the thousandth invitation yet?" he asked, suddenly remembering the deadline was the same as the portraits.

"Not yet." Carolina replied, "But I don't think King Erwin cares too much. He's never been one for traditions." She shrugged.

Levi nodding, his attention divided by the plate of fruit that Carla had brought to him. "Yeah, I'm sure he'd somehow find a way to blame it on the situation."

"And liberation." Nanaba added.

Levi smirked. "I want to use the bathroom first, wash up before breakfast." he replied, "I'll be a moment."

Carolina nodded, staying behind in his bedroom with Carla to begin their preparations. Nanaba accompanied him, as was his duty, and when they returned Levi was once more primed for painting his skin to be prepared for his portrait. They didn't repeat the lemon-soaks or rinses, and they left his hands alone since his nails hadn't outgrown, which left him feeling relieved and human once more. Afterwards, they helped him into his sapphire-blue outfit, before strapping his jet black boots on. Once more they all fell silent as they adorned his head with his silver crown, admiring the way its diamonds and crystals caught the light of the rising sun reflected by the vanity's mirror.

When he looked as if he had stepped right out of yesterday, the party made their way down to the main hall, where they met with one of Nanaba's squad members. The soldier escorted them to a third wing of the castle, where the room was prepared with an elaborate but simple green curtain and a simple black stool.

"I thought you would like the stool better than an elaborate chair or...something." Erwin stated, stepping forwards. He was dressed, as Levi had been, in his coronation outfit.

"It's simple." Levi smiled, "I do like it."

"Are you sure you would be comfortable? It's going to be a few hours." Erwin warned him.

Levi chuckled. "Is Captain Miche going to have his portrait painted as well?" He asked instead, diverting the attention from himself. "I think he looked quite flattering yesterday."

"He should," Carolina agreed. "I'll see what can be arranged."

Erwin chuckled, "Perhaps he can get his done alongside mine, then I could have the company."

"That sounds manageable."

Levi turned his attention to who had just spoken and noticed a man that wore clothing already stained with many colours, so much so that his shirt appeared to be a canvas in and of itself. The man was also clean shaven except for a large, curled handlebar moustache. He had thick, grey eyebrows, a bush of wirey black chest hair, that poked out of the scooped collar of his baggy shirt, and wore a flat, equally paint-splattered hat over a bald head. Levi held back a chuckle as he held out a hand to the strange man, who was already offering his own.

"Hello, hello. You must be prince Levi, and my, my, lookit that ring! We need to showcase that in our portrait, yes, we should." He held Levi's hand for a moment, simply analyzing the thick gold band with the engraved star pattern on it, turning his hand from side to side, despite the ring having no stones to sparkle or refract the light.

Levi blushed, embarrassed by the attention the jewellery clearly brought him. "Thank you, and you must be the artist." he replied, prompting the man to release his hand.

"Stasho." the man replied, "Or so goes the name."

"Stephan," Carolina replied, "Or Stasho as we came to know him, is the royal Rose artist. He usually travels, but he's provided with a place in the kingdom and supplies and a small wage."

"Do you stay here?" Levi asked, surprised that he was surprised that the indulgent kingdom would have its own permanent artist.

"Three fourths of the year." The man replied, "But I spend the other quarter with my family, in Maria kingdom. And selling any private works I make here in the markets there or on the road. Sometimes I go on what I call tours - find scenery and inspiration for new work."

"That must be a nice change," Levi commented, "Being in the market and selling your work. Travelling."

Stasho grinned, nodding along. "Oh yes, very fun." He replied. "Very fun. Come, you-" the man pointed at Miche, "Go off, get dressed. Stasho must make a masterpiece and then paint you as well."

Levi snickered at the artist's flamboyantly commanding attitude, then followed him towards the stool. He sat down, watching the man begin to reach out and position him, making sure to keep his hands on his thighs and therefore allow the ring to be a statement focus of the portrait. Then Stasho left him and returned to position Erwin behind him, clad in his rose red uniform and wearing the crown that Carolina had coronated him with yesterday.

Using first a charcoal stick on the canvas, Stasho sketched their likeness to the huge blank slate that rested on the easel before him. Then, for the next three hours, he mixed paints, changed brushes, and slowly but surely committed their likeness to the canvas. Levi watched as the room changed throughout the day to keep himself from becoming numb with boredom: people entering, people leaving, some coming in to see them have their portraits painted, others coming to do their everyday tasks. Erwin squeezed at his shoulder, silently but adoringly reassuring him throughout the entire silent period. He had made the mistake of attempting to speak to Erwin twice, only to have Stasho remind him that he required "the utmost silence" to work.

At the third hour mark, he groaned and stretched his back, stiff and sore from having stayed in an upright position for so long. Erwin chuckled under his breath and bent down to press his lips against the soft, sensitive skin behind Levi's ear. He stayed to hum against his neck, the vibration traveling through his lips to heat Levi's blood and travel straight to his crotch. The smaller man blushed, then gasped as his fiancé's teeth closed on his earlobe and affectionately nipped him. Levi closed his eyes, amazed by how much self-control he employed to keep himself from moving, then heavily - but shakily - exhaled as his fiancé bit at his neck, alternating between kissing and sucking softly, until he was sure his neck betrayed his obvious arousal and embarrassment by being blazing warm and red from his heightened blood flow.

Stasho said nothing the entire time, letting them affectionately explore as he adding details to their painted clothing.

Levi was glad he wasn't given anything to hold, as his fingers stretched open as he gasped with shock. He felt as if a lightning current was travelling throughout his body and he was surprised to find himself rising to his feet and turning towards his lover, reaching out to hold him and catch his soft, sweet lips against his own. He sighed in happiness, exhaling into his lover's warm mouth, as they finally kissed. Erwin held him tight against his body, hugging him for a long time. It wasn't until Stasho had cleared his throat for the second time that Erwin released Levi and the pair took a step apart.

"Stasho has created yet another masterpiece, I assure you," he grinned, "He thinks this may be his best one yet, no? No?" As he spoke he urged them to come around and see his portrait, waving them with his paint-stained hands and stepping away from his easel.

Erwin took Levi's hand, letting the smaller man go first and following closely after him. He watched his fiancé, rather than the painting, knowing that his reaction would amaze him more than any work Stasho ever did. He was correct; Levi's eyes widened and then filled with tears, he immediately hid his mouth behind his free hand, and he exhaled in a loud "oh" of surprise. His tone of voice revealed his enamour with Stasho's work, and he appeared to be at a loss for words.

"Stasho," he whispered, barely able to speak loudly enough to be heard.

King Erwin burst out laughing, amused by Levi's speechless reaction. He released his hand so he could wrap his arms around the smaller man's shoulders and hold him close to himself.

Levi ignored his lover, unable to tear his eyes away from their realistic likeness on the canvas. He felt that he was looking at a reflection of them, rather than what he knew to be previously a blank, white canvas stretched over a wooden frame.

"This is- incredible!" He commented, his breathing still rather irregular.

Stasho only grinned, then took a bow for his models' amusement. His hat fell off and he hurried to snatch it up and place it back on his head as he straightened up, blushing out of embarrassment for his exposed baldness.

Levi smiled sweetly at him, hoping it would convey his gratitude for the portrait.

Erwin grinned, then released Levi to shake the artist's hand firmly.

"How did it turn out?" Carolina asked, approaching them from the doorway.

"It's absolutely stunning!" Levi replied, once more admiring the portrait.

"So you'll be willing to sit for another one then?" Carolina asked in a teasing voice. "For your wedding?"

Levi's eyes widened and he turned to look at her in horror. "Another?" He repeated, then glanced at Erwin. "Actually..." he mumbled, turning his attention back to the portrait behind himself and once-again becoming engrossed in the various brush strokes that combined to make up the image of his lover holding him from behind, both radiating their affection for the other around themselves in a glow of happiness and love. "I don't mind." He replied. "I actually don't."

* * *

Shortly after Carolina had entered, Stasho had ordered Erwin and Miche to head with him to the throne room, stating he wanted the king portrait done in the throne. Erwin was content with the decision, having been standing for the last three hours, and so the trio had marched off to create more of Stasho's magnificent masterpieces.

Levi left with Carolina, heading back to his room to change his cloths. While he adored the outfit given to him for his engagement, he was grateful to be out of elegant clothing and into something less regal. Once he was stripped, Carolina insisted he be measured once more. She called in her daughter to take the measurements, then allowed him to get dressed once again. He changed into a white, high collared, puffed-sleeve shirt and dark trousers, lacing them up, with a sleek, dark belt around his slim waist. He hesitated, desiring to wear the slick black boots he had on previously, then reluctantly changed into a pair of brown knee-high boots, the same ones he had worn onto the Eleanor before.

"You seem quite excited by tonight's sailing plans, Prince Levi." Carolina teased him, surprised when the man headed over to the vanity of his own accord and began to gaze at himself in the mirror.

"I am." Levi admitted, "I suppose I'm just grateful for the time to be with Erwin."

Carolina chuckled, "You could wear whatever you like." She motioned to the vanity, implying the makeup in its thin drawers.

"Is he?" Levi asked, genuinely curious if the king would be wearing lipstick tonight as well. He turned to face the old woman and felt a rush of affection for her, having never had someone look after him to the degree she had. Despite his usual reserved habits, he approached her and gave her a hug.

"Oh?!" She gasped, surprised by his sudden affection. Her hands came up to pat his back and she hugged him in return, blushing. "Oh, my boy," she laughed, "thank you."

"I want to thank you," Levi found himself saying, surprised that he was even speaking the words that he was hearing himself speak aloud. "For being like a mother to me. I never had a mother, at least... not a very good one. And not for very long. So it means a lot to me... that you and Miche, and Nanaba, and the late King Smith, and Erwin, all of you accept me... so readily into your family here."

Carolina chuckled, patting Levi's back. She wasn't surprised that he was overwhelmed by the outcome of their situation and his suddenly much-brighter future, so she only held him tightly against her. "You're welcome, child, you're welcome." She whispered.

* * *

Word that the king and his prince planned to spend the night on the Eleanor had broken out across the castle. Before evening fell, their meals had been prepared and sent out to the docks for the crews to take onboard. The ship was cleaned, the sails were rigged, and even the rails of the ship's deck were decorated with flowers and vines, which the crew stood behind in a line, ready and waiting. Levi had spent the remainder of the afternoon with Carolina, Carla, Eren, and Nanaba, riding Jupiter - the horse Erwin had given him before - in the field east of the castle. He simply had taken to adopting Jupiter as his own horse, having already bonded during their last ride. Nanaba had taken a small, open carriage for Carolina, Carla, and Eren to ride in and they had remained in the field, enjoying the wind and lukewarm rays of the descending sun, until Lance had ridden over to inform them that Stasho had finished with king Erwin and captain Miche, and it would be wise to head back if they planned to make their ship. The group made their way back to the castle, as Lance headed towards towards the east wall. King Erwin had become engaged in a political discussion with captain Hanji as he had waited for his prince to return, and consequentially was busy in the throne room when they arrived, so Levi remained in the grand hall speaking to Carolina about the wedding outfit he was fitted for.

"I assume the outfit will be chosen for me." He replied, "Since that is what I heard was tradition in Rose kingdom."

Carolina burst out laughing, clapping her hands twice to express her amusement. "Lana told you that, did she?" She asked in a wheezy voice.

"Yes." Levi replied, surprised that Carolina knew it was her. "Erwin told me it was because they feared scandalous outfits for the bride."

Carolina laughed harder, her eyes becoming wet with tears as she laughed. "Oh, my boy!" She managed to speak around her chuckles, "I always find it hilarious when the brides know _before_ they get engaged. They always throw such fits."

Levi smirked, recalling the way Lana had moaned about it in the carriage. "Yeah, I can only imagine." He replied, attempting to bury the memory deep in his past. He could hear Lana's voice clear as bells in his head, the tone marred by the same snide quirk that occurred whenever she lifted her chin to talk down her nose to him, _"I have always tried to envision my wedding dress! I wanted it to have puffed sleeves and pearls."_ He gave his head a small shake, trying to ward the memory of Princess Lana out of his mind.

"If you could pick, what would you choose?" Nanaba asked, noticing his charge growing shy towards the topic and sensing a reflection of Lana darkening his mood.

"Hm?" Levi hummed, "You know, I never gave it any thought. I suppose the tradition is white, am I correct?"

"You are," Nanaba replied, "and in Rose, a coloured accent of choice. Lady Smith wore green, some brides wore red - they thought it was respectful to Rose kingdom, but it's not necessary-"

"Red and white is forbidden in Sina." Levi replied, smiling at the thought, "Funeral colours, or something is the reason. Others said it was because they thought the bride was hiding the fact that she was having her cycle and no child would come of the honeymoon."

"How odd." Carolina replied, having calmed her laughter finally. "What colour would you pick, Prince Levi?" She asked.

"I'm not sure." Levi replied, "I imagine Eleanor wore purple."

Nanaba looked to Carolina for the answer, having been too young to recall much details.

"She did," the old woman nodded, "and her bouquet were all lillies and forget-me-nots. Purple lip stain, purple flowers, and a purple belt on her dress. She had these...fitted sleeves, and a row of pearls as buttons up her back; her dress was from the neck down, since she got married in the wintertime." The fell into silence as Carolina fell into her memories. The old woman shook herself out of them, "But what colour would you pick, my dear?" She asked Levi again, bringing the conversation back to him.

"Pearls?" Levi mumbled, catching himself on the details of Erwin's birth-mother. Eleanor was a beautiful, elegant, charming woman; everything Lana had apparently wanted to be seen as, but never tried to be. His eyebrows knit together as he began to question why it was that Lana was so greatly on his mind in the moment. He hoped to be rid of her before sailing with Erwin.

"Prince Levi?" Carolina reached out and touched his shoulder, holding him tightly despite his jolt of surprise. "What colour would you pick, my Prince?" She asked again.

"I- I think I would choose blue." Levi relied, "A sea blue, the colour of Erwin's eyes."

The old woman nodded, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Ahh," she smiled, "Yes, yes I can see that. Since your engagement was dark blue, it's appropriate for your wedding to be a much brighter shade." She shared a look with Nanaba, both picking up on Levi's distracted musings, when the door behind them opened and King Erwin stepped out.

"Alright." He stated confidently, clearly surprised to see them waiting for him just outside the door. "Are we ready to set sail?" He asked.

Levi's lips pulled into a sweet smile and the fog that seemed to cloud over his eyes dissipated immediately. He turned and reached out to touch Erwin, taking hold of his hand and interlacing their fingers. He wasn't sure why he had done the action, just that it felt right to do, and he found it had reassured him of his reality and chased away the thoughts of Princess Lana.

"I'm excited." he replied, exhaling heavily and looking down at their feet.

Erwin smiled, then reached out with his free hand and pulled Levi against his chest for a hug. "You're cold." He replied, surprised by the fact that Levi was indeed chilled. He stepped back and lowered himself to one knee, keeping his back straight so that he could look into Levi's eyes. "Hey, are you feeling alright?" He asked softly, speaking to him gently as he looked up and into his eyes.

Levi nodded but his smile wavered. He released Erwin's hand in favor of wrapping his arms around his neck and burying his face against the taller man's shoulder.

Without saying another word, Erwin wrapped his arms around Levi's waist, then used the muscles in his legs to bring them upright, picking up Levi with him as he stood up. Levi said nothing as he was picked up and held against Erwin's chest, staying wrapped around him and hiding his face from his friends as multiple emotions and memories assaulted his mind without any tangible reason.

"Was anything said to upset him?" Erwin demanded from Carolina and Nanaba, staring at them with an intensity in his eyes that could only be read as protective. He wasn't angry at them and didn't raise his voice, but his tone was clipped and serious. "He was fine this morning, he can't be ill."

"We were speaking about wedding traditions." Carolina replied, "Mainly about his outfit."

Erwin's eyes widened, Levi's words instantly coming back to him from the day they had first met, when they were eating lunch together in the gardens: _Lana told me that your mother would choose her dress..._ Despite it being so long ago now, he was able to recall it clearly. Prizing Levi above all else, Erwin was able to read his emotions and link his memories to answer questions regarding his lover easily, and he felt in his heart he was right.

"That would upset him." he whispered, then lifted a hand as if to wave off their discussion. "No matter, I'll take care of him." He turned his attention back to Levi, kissing at his cheek. "Ready to go sailing, my love?"

Levi nodded against Erwin's shoulder, but didn't lift his face. Erwin nodded, adjusting Levi against his side. He held him close, squeezing him softly so that he felt reassured, and began to head to the docks. "Miche, Nanaba," He called over his shoulder, signalling for them to follow him at a distance.

"What's wrong?" he whispered to Levi as he carried him, walking slowly so he could divide his attention between watching where he walked and nuzzling Levi's cheek with his nose. "Hm? Please, don't be sad, Levi."

"I'm sorry." Levi mumbled, trying to regain his composure, "I...just had all these things in my head. And I- I-"

"Shh, it's alright. You're with me now." Erwin whispered, rubbing his back. "Do you want to walk down the dock with me?" He asked, hoping that seeing the ships again would fill Levi with positive memories.

The man nodded so Erwin set him down on his feet, then linked their arms together to reassure him. He reconsidered, unwound their arms, and threw his arm around Levi's shoulders, holding him tightly to his side. It made him smile when he felt Levi's slim limb wrap around his waist in return.

"Better?" He asked in a low voice, hoping that Levi wouldn't be mentally beating himself up about whatever it was that bothering him.

"Much." Levi replied, his fingers squeezing Erwin's hip.

"I'm glad." Erwin replied.

They walked down the backyard with their guards following them, eager and excited to leave the king's regal duties behind them for the night. They walked in silence, enjoying the encroaching darkness settling around them, and holding each other close as the sea chill crept around them and teased their skin to rise in goosebumps. The royal couple were surprised when they approached the docks only to encounter Furlan, the sandy-haired boy that worked on the ships as part of Erwin's private crew.

"A-apologies, King Erwin. But the Eleanor is not fit condition for sailing tonight. We have prepared the schooner in her stead."

Erwin frowned, his fingers tightening against Levi's shoulder. "Hm," he hummed, "What is wrong with her?" He asked, his voice full of concern.

"We're...we're not sure, Sire. What we've, uh, assumed is that the ship's rudder is suffering from some hardware problems. But as it is too cold and dark for us to dive under and check it out, we will investigate it further after your sailing."

Erwin nodded, "Alright. I'd want a full report, Furlan. I want it worked on as soon as possible, after this voyage. Tonight, proceed with the schooner, it was a good called to have it already prepared and waiting." The king hugged Levi closer into his body as he spoke, and the action made him recall their first voyage out to sea together. "Furlan," he called out to the man, who had already turned after a short bow and head back towards the ship, "Thank you, for the carving."

The blonde man looked from the king to the prince at his side and then back to the king to give him a wide-toothed grin. "You're welcome, your highness." He replied, then turned and stuffed his hands deep into his pockets and hurried off to alert the crew to the King's orders.

Erwin led Levi and their guards onwards to the schooner at a leisurely pace, taking the time to admire the sights around them reflecting on the water just off the dock.

"Are you going to steer the ship?" Levi asked, finding his voice amidst the silence.

Erwin grinned, then bit his lower lip. "Probably not. I want to but we won't be sailing for long. Perhaps we'll just stay on the deck so we don't give Miche and Nanaba a heart attack."

Levi chuckled, "I don't mind the schooner." He replied.

Erwin smirked, "I know."

The pair made their way up the gangway and onto the ship's deck, then headed towards the main mast of the ship. They stayed there, with Erwin placing Levi to sit on a large barrel tied to the mast, until all anchors were hauled up, the ties were brought in, and the ship had set sail out into the darkness of the night. The sea breeze picked up, the white sails billowed out and swelled proudly with air, and the ship moved smoothly and steadily along the dark water. The couple stayed close to each other, walking from stern to bow of the ship, then staying in the arch near the front and cuddling close together. They picked out constellations, recited poems from memory, and talked about various details of ships before Miche headed over to them, intend on keeping them on their royal schedule.

"Sire, and prince Levi, dinner shall be served shortly."

Erwin laughed, shaking his head then waving a hand at his lifelong friend. "I will always simply be 'Erwin' to you, Captain Miche." He teased him.

Levi watched the pair with humour, then looked upwards at the sky around them. "Would it be alright to eat on deck?" He asked, sure that Miche had intended for them to retreat into the captain's quarters, where they had stayed the night together after the ball. He knew they would probably stay the night there again, but he also knew that he would be too distracted by the memories in that cabin to be presentable for a dinner. Above them the sky stretched on endlessly and around them the sea refelected the stars to give the illusion that they were travelling on forever and ever. And yet he felt oddly safe on the ship floating along the waters in the middle of presumable nowhere, with no one but his new family by his side.

"You would like to eat on deck?" Miche asked, then turned to face Erwin, "If that's alright with you."

"Anything prince Levi wants." Erwin replied, "I'd be glad to dine with him on the deck on the condition that you and Nanaba join us as well, as family, not staff. Please."

Miche rolled his eyes, "Once I get dinner sorted out, I shall take you up on the offer." he replied. He turned and motioned to Nanaba to stay close by, refusing to leave his royal friends on the open water without some protection.

Erwin chuckled, "We're not going to fall in, Miche!" He called in after the man, then laughed at Levi's side. He turned to face him, then caught a wayward strand of the younger man's dark hair and brushed it back into place with his fingertips.

"You don't want to eat a private dinner with me in the captain's quarters?" He asked, his voice suddenly a deep baritone, husky and kept to a low whisper. Levi could almost feel the vibrations of the tone travel against his chest and resonate deep in his heart. His breathing quickened and his body felt hot as he realized he was instantly aroused by his fiance's flirting.

"No, I fear I would have more than dinner on my mind." Levi replied, keeping his answer honest and yet dropping just enough of a subtle hint to let Erwin know that the night of the ball was also on his mind.

Erwin smirked and leaned in towards Levi, closing the short distance between them as if he intended to kiss him, but then moving past his face and towards his shoulder, coming to speak directly at his ear. "As would I." He replied, his breath hot and steamy against the sensitive skin of Levi's ear.

Levi shivered, blushing as his body immediately gave away his desires. "Do not tempt me." He replied coyly, teasing Erwin back by playing hard to get.

Erwin bared his teeth in a flashy grin but his heavy exhale betrayed him and revealed his own arousal to his fiance. Levi smirked smuggly, glad to have found Erwin's tell - it was all in his breathing, he was sure of it.

"Dinner is ready, boys." Miche called, breaking into their erotic atmosphere and reminding them they were not in the privacy of the captain's quarters. Neither were embarrassed to be caught so boldly flirting - especially since Miche had already known the events that occurred the night of the ball, having been stationed outside their door as Erwin's guard.

They rose from their seat at the bow of the schooner and headed back to the main mast, where Miche and several of the crew had put together a makeshift table of barrels, with small crates for them to sit on. "Sorry it's not what royalty is used to." Miche teased them, coming to sit between the two of them at the square table. "But it's the most I could do, since the table in the captain's quarters is-"

"Is bolted to the floor, yes." Erwin replied, smoothly cutting him off. He looked up at Levi from under his blonde fringe of long eyelashes and smirked at him over the rim of his wineglass, having picked it up to take a sip. His words were spoken innocently enough but the smaller man immediately caught the suggestive sexual undertone that the blonde was conveying.

"I'd imagine it is to keep things from falling off the table as the waves shift us back and forth," Levi replied, then repeated his words slower, letting his tone drop as he made eyes with Erwin, "back...and forth, back...and...forth."

Erwin bit his lower lip and turned to face his friend instead, backing down from the flames of desire Levi fanned his way. "What's for dinner, Miche?" He asked, "It smells lovely."

"Well, seeing as we're on a ship, Erwin, we're having smoked trout with seasoned vegetables, baked potatoes, a wild garden salad, a chicken pot pie, and of course, garlic and herb bread loaf. To drink, we have white wine or cider."

"Cider?" Levi asked.

"Apple and cinnamon." Miche clarified.

Levi nodded, "I'll have that."

"I as well." Nanaba agreed.

"And the big men will have alcohol." Miche declared, pouring himself a glass.

Erwin smirked, having already taken a sip of the white wine. It was smooth and tasted sweet, and he hummed in the back of his throat as he found the aftertaste on his tongue quite pleasant.

They passed their late dinner talking about their plans for the changing seasons, and their various memories or individual traditions for the upcoming year. Nanaba surprised them all by revealing his love for archery and proclaiming his decision to enter this year's summer archery competition. Erwin and Miche discussed the possibility for creating a summer festival for the townspeople, debating whether or not they would be able to fund such an event. Levi said nothing, offering no insight on his intentions for summer or any forecast into his future. He was content with listening to his friends plan their futures, eager that he would be able to follow along. For a moment he pretended he was not actually sitting at the table with them, and only watched them as if he were a spectral ghost that was watching the family dine together as he assumed they would have if he hadn't arrived to Rose kingdom. But he forced himself to realize he was at the table, and that it wouldn't be the same image if he wasn't here; things would have been different, and he needed to stop fearing his own removal from the situation just because of his past.

Isabella, the redheaded girl that worked alongside Furlan, brought their dessert of chocolate pudding, strawberry cheesecake, and lemon tarts to them, and stayed to indulge in the treats as well, at King Erwin's request. The sea breeze blew around them as Furlan steered them in a wide semi-circle, turning the ship back towards the mainland. Another crew member rang the bell on the main deck twice, signalling that they would be laying anchor and staying put for the rest of the night, and so the cluster of friends around the table all began to rise and mingle with the ship crew. Erwin kindly shared the desserts with the staff on board, making sure that he got around to personally thanking each and every one of them for their service, and inquiring about their desires, enjoying the human connection he had with his crew. He introduced them all to his prince, then the royal couple made their way towards their makeshift beds.

King Erwin took Levi by the hand and led him towards the captain's quarters. He touched the door, then turned back to face Miche, who followed them at a brisk pace, shadowing Erwin as to protect him should the need arise.

"You could come in and sleep." Erwin offered, "We won't do anything tonight."

Levi blushed at Erwin's obvious implications, and Miche smirked at him. "Thanks Erwin." The blonde replied, following them in and settling himself into a large, wing-backed armchair for the night.

Erwin tugged Levi against his chest, leading him to the small cot bed they had slept in the night of the ball. They removed their crowns, discarded their jackets, and kicked off their boots, before settling down on the soft, comfortable bed. Through the wood of the ship they could hear the rest of the crew settling down, pairing into watches and beginning to patrol the deck to keep their lanterns lit and an eye out for other ships.

"There are not many ships that pass this close to our mainland." Erwin mumbled, lying down and pulling Levi towards him. He curled around Levi's back, wrapping an arm around the smaller man's waist, and throwing another arm under his neck, so that he could hug him from behind.

Levi settled on holding Erwin's hands, nestling himself against the spoon of Erwin's body. He sighed happily, surprised by how warm Erwin was.

Erwin squeezed him gently from behind, burying his face in the top of Levi's hair and kissing the crown of his head. "There are so many things I want to ask you, so many things I want to know, but I'll wait." He whispered into Levi's ear, "I'm just grateful to hold you in my arms again and be able to call you mine."

Levi blushed, feeling his heartbeat accelerate and his body flush with warmth. He wanted to reply, but Erwin only held him tighter and nuzzled his face against his neck. He held his tongue, subconsciously knowing that Erwin was falling asleep, and began to count the breaths of the men in the room with him. He couldn't sleep. There was an energy that continued to bother him, a buzzing in the atmosphere that continued to keep him awake. As it was last night, he found the room was void of darkness, and that there was a glow of light that seemed to come from nowhere in particular, yet everywhere at once.

He closed his eyes, sighing heavily, and forced himself to ignore the tingling of energy that seemed to buzz around him nonstop. He grit his teeth together, kept his eyes firmly closed, and focused on lying perfectly still. Perhaps it was the gentle rocking of the ship on the waters, or the warm arms of his lover holding him tightly, he found his consciousness slipping into the darkness of slumber, and despite the energy around him, he descended into a peaceful sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

* * *

 **Chapter 19 - March 28th - Night**

Levi's sleep grew disturbed over the course of the night. He slowly became aware of the gentle rocking of the ship on the water, his first sign of his consciousness slowly stirring out of sleep. He grew frustrated, desiring to sleep more, but the curling of his hands on the sheets and the squeezing of his eyes tightly shut only made him grow steadily more aware of his waking, and with a sigh of reluctance, he let his eyes open and gave in to waking up. To his surprise, the room was brightly lit, completely illuminated by a translucent glow of soft white, as if the room was brightened by a plethora of stars that had descended to hang at random in the ship's cabin. He sat up with some difficulty, having to remove Erwin's arm from around his waist before throwing his legs over the side of the bed, and looked around in surprise. Outside the porthole, Levi could see the sun had not yet risen and the morning was not yet upon them. Outside was still enveloped in a heavy darkness that made it impossible to tell whether they were close to the mainland or so far out to sea that they would appear to be endlessly surrounded by water. Yet inside the cabin, it was brightly lit, with a soft translucent glow that appeared unexplainably silver in colour, nothing close to the colour the flame of a candle or lantern would produce.

Levi's eyebrows knit together as he squinted through the glowing light. From where he sat on the bed it was impossible to see the door of the room as several wooden dividers had been placed to create a privacy barrier for any occupants using the bed. Levi leaned to peer around one, crawling towards the foot of the bed to gain a glimpse towards the door. Captain Miche appeared to be sound asleep, his head tilted back and his mouth hanging open as he snored softly in the high-backed chair in the corner close to the door. Erwin was sound asleep behind himself, he could still feel the man's warmth and hear his easy breathing as he slept. So why was it that the prince of Rose kingdom was feeling watched?

Determined to put a stop to the growing night time mystery that only seemed to worsen his anxiety and increase his feelings of guilt, fear, and worthlessness, Levi slowly got to his feet. Feeling the chill of the cold ship's wooden floor assault the soles of his feet and race up from his legs to the very core of his body, he paused for a moment to allow his skin time to adjust to the temperature change. From where he had been seated on the bed, the room was hard to fully view due to the dividers. But he was sure there was another person in the room with them, someone that was hiding from view so as to mentally exhaust him and drive him insane.

He followed his gut instinct, hesitantly making his way forwards towards the door and hoping to cut off any exit they would have. From there he would circle the room, intent on finding who it was that was stalking him and terrorizing him at night. He was already mentally assessing the loyalty of the people he knew to be trusted in the castle, people that would be able to creep around at night and have the authority to follow him and Erwin onto the ship, when he grew distracted by the sudden brightness of the silver glow to his right. The light appeared to be the origin of the mysterious glow throughout the cabin, as it was the brightest presence and appeared to be unable to control the direction that it shone, it's bright rays of light reflecting off surfaces and illuminating the rest of the room. It had been hidden behind a wooden barrier, pressed closely against the crack between two of the folding panels that would allow it to peak between them and spy on the men as they slept.

"Who are you?" Levi asked, surprised to find that the glow wasn't caused by an object, but rather a person. He grew cold, just as he had when he had spoken to Eleanor, and he realized that the presence stalking him was one that was no longer human.

The being made no effort to speak to him, but turned to face him. As the brightness of it's glow dimmed, subsiding only by a fraction, he found he was no longer blinded and could make out the features of a dark haired woman. She had long black hair, high cheekbones, and thin, pale lips. Her white gown hung loosely around her body, but she appeared to be barefooted as she sat on the cabin floor. She only tilted her head to the side in response to his question, her lower lip parting open in a soft pout, as if she were insulted by his ignorance.

Levi's mouth dropped open in surprise and he took a step back from the woman, startled by the revelation he had. It was her eyes that surprised him, the irises a brilliant shade of silver, that were full of love, admiration, and happiness. He inhaled shakily, unable to take his eyes off the woman, but was clearly too shocked to speak again. He opened his mouth, then closed it, then attempted again only to part his lips and expose his teeth gritted together. He licked his lips, letting his short tongue out to moisten the middle of his lips, then swallowed audibly.

"M-m-mmom?" he asked, sounding as if he were testing the word in his mouth rather than actually saying it.

The woman lifted her head, her lips pulling into a familiar crooked smile of warmth, approval, and affection.

"Mom?" He asked again, surprised by the reaction he had gained.

The woman only nodded, moving to comb her long dark hair around her left shoulder, so that it spilt like a dark waterfall against her chest.

Levi took a step closer, then crouched down so he could stare intently into the woman's eyes. "Kutchel?" he asked, saying the name for the first time in many years.

"Levi." The woman replied, tentatively releasing her hair with one hand so that she could reach out and place her palm against his cheek. She stopped herself before she touched him, keeping herself from making direct contact with him, but where she grew close to him he felt drained of all warmth and energy.

"Mom." He replied, whispering the title to her.

She only smiled softly again, before her lips parted and she grinned proudly at him. "I'm so proud of you, my son." she whispered to him, "So very proud."

Levi smiled at her, fighting the desire to hold her hand against his cheek; for some reason he knew he shouldn't touch her, knew that she held back from touching him. "I've missed you mom." He confessed, finally able to tell her what he had desired to let her know for so long. "Not a day went by where I didn't think about you, about what life could have been if you had...if you hadn't..."

"Shh," Kutchel replied, removing her hand and returning to combing her fingers through her raven dark hair. "I've been with you this entire time, Levi." She smiled coyly, "I've watched you grow up, I've been there every step of the way. Every time you felt watched, every time you felt cold despite the sun shining down, kissing your skin, I was there. Watching you. Looking out for you."

Levi inhaled shakily, reflecting back on her words. There had been times where he hadn't been able to feel the sun's warmth despite the summer heat, days were he hadn't felt the warmth of the roaring fire despite sitting against the hearth. He had thought he had been depressed, or sick, but he also recalled the same conscious feeling of being watched, the same paranoia that made him aware of the inner workings of Sina Castle, which ironically prepared him for the situations he would find himself faced with. Even in the carriage with Lana before the attack, and again the night he had fled from Rose Castle and hidden in the wreck until the next morning, he was aware of this faint glow, this sense of comradeship, that made him defensive, that made him protective, that made him aware of the fact that he was not alone. But he had never imagined that the feeling could ever be connected to something positive, to someone who would be inclined to _care_ about him.

"It was you...this entire time?" He asked, surprised that all of his feelings had been known to his mother, despite never being able to communicate them. He suddenly realised that even when he was angry with her for not physically being there for him, he was still connected to her, still able to communicate with her.

"I love you, Levi." Kutchel whispered, "And I always wanted the very best for you." She smiled sweetly, then very deliberately turned her attention back to the crack between the folding panels of the barrier, smiling coyly as she watched the blonde king sound asleep in the ship's bed. "But I never imagined that you would end up here, that you would ever rise from pauper to prince."

Levi blushed, following her gaze towards Erwin but only seeing the dark wooden panel. From where he sat, his vantage point was blocked by the wooden board, but he was aware of what exactly his mother was seeing. He smiled, exhaling heavily, feeling the warmth of his blush heat his face. "I never expected it either." He replied, his voice hoarse with honesty and emotion.

"But here we are." His mother replied, turning her attention back to him and smiling. Her glow seemed to increase with her happiness, as the room became a blinding beacon of the silver light. "My sweet, beautiful son, now the prince of Rose Kingdom. The very jewel of his people. The heart of that man, sleeping soundly over there."

Levi's blush deepened, and he looked down out of embarrassment. "King Erwin is the man of my heart as well." he whispered.

Kutchel giggled softly, then shifted closer to her son. "I wish I could have been there, to watch you grow up, to teach you to shave. To talk to you about men."

Levi bit his lower lip, choking on his laugh of embarrassment. He could only imagine how those conversations with his rather promiscuous mother would have gone exactly. "But you have been with me," Levi replied instead, changing the subject back to his relationship with her to avoid the intense topic of sex. "I just never knew it until now."

"I know." Kutchel replied, then let out a soft sigh. "But it pains me to tell you this is the last time I can watch over you."

Levi's eyes narrowed and he physically recoiled, taken aback by his mother's words.

"I'm sorry, Levi. But there is no longer any reason for me to worry about you. You will be protected and loved, cared for in ways that I have always dreamt for you to be. I have no purpose anymore, and my part is now done. Despite my own wishes, I am no longer allowed to come back to this world."

Levi made strangled sounds of protest, none of which led to any coherent argument. "But- But I just- I just found you again, mom." He countered, angered that he was being cheated out of his only parent for the second time in his life. "It's not fair." He protested, unaware of the tears that began to stream down his cheeks.

"Don't cry, dear son. Don't cry." Kutchel replied, reaching out to wipe away his tears but stopping herself from touching him merely seconds from his face. "It's just as the universe works, and I can only obey the rules. I will always listen for you, and I will always be there for you when you need me to be."

Levi hit the floorboards with his knuckles, knocking them rather than forcefully striking them harshly in order to vent his frustration. "It isn't fair." he pressed, childishly frustrated with his situation.

"We all have to go through some horrible things at one point, my son. I _never_ wanted to leave you, but I _had_ to. And you _had_ to live with the Zackly's to get _here_ , to meet _Erwin_. He's able to give you a life full of things I could have only _wished_ you'd be blessed with; beauty, good health, and endless, endless love! Levi, I know, I _know_ you wanted me to be in your life more, but that wasn't a choice for us to make. You're happy with Erwin, aren't you? You love him, right?"

"I do." Levi gasped, surprised by his mother's question. He looked up at her with hurt in his eyes, "I do love him. With all my heart."

"You can't have us both, my son. But I will always love you. And throughout all your troubles, I know you didn't know it, but I was there. And now that you're safe, you learned how to fly, you're free- and I, I will rest peacefully now knowing you're well taken care of."

"It isn't fair." Levi repeated, gritting his teeth.

Kutchel chuckled softly, admiring her son. "You remind me of my brother." She whispered, watching him attempt to control his emotions.

Her words worked and distracted Levi from his emotions; he lifted his head up and met her eyes, his own silver irises shimmering with curiosity and surprise. "I have an uncle?" He asked, stammering out the words.

Kutchel nodded, "And you met him too." She replied, "He was a sailor that used to work for the Sina Castle docks. One of his shipmate friends was your father, but he passed away at sea."

Levi shifted his position, bending his leg at the knee so he could wrap his arms around his leg and hug himself as he listened intently to every word his mother said. "What was his name?"

Kutchel smiled coyly again, shaking her head. "I can't tell you that." She replied, "Because you already know his name."

Levi's eyes narrowed, expressing his frustration. "I-"

"You've met him before." She insisted, "And when I'm gone, I know you'll be in good hands and won't be all alone. My brother will look out for you for me, that is, if you let him."

Levi frowned, "What do you mean, 'if I let him?'" He asked, a slight growl detected in his words revealing his frustration. "I don't know him! I- I never met him!"

"You have." Kutchel replied, smirking coyly. "I'm sorry, Levi. But I'm not allowed to say any more."

Levi frowned, then shifted, reaching out to grab her arms. Kutchel shifted back in response, retreating into a corner.

"No!" She gasped, "I'm not allowed."

Levi exhaled heavily, gasping as he realized he was holding his breath. "It's not fair." He stated, "I love you mom!"

Kutchel smiled fondly at her son, but her expression was tainted suddenly with concern when a loud noise of a bottle dropping somewhere on deck caused the royal captain to rouse from his sleep. She sighed sorrowfully, not ready to leave but no longer able to stay. "I love you, Levi." She whispered to him, beginning to retreat from the human world, "I know you'll be safe here."

"No!" Levi cried out in a desperate whisper, but the figure of his mother only smiled sorrowfully at him. All the light in the room seemed to dim, compressing itself to the place where Kutchel had sat only seconds ago, until it eventually sucked itself back into the vacuum it had once appeared from. Levi sat in shock, staring blankly at the space in front of him, unaware of the tears rolling down his face. It wasn't until a heavy hand grasped his shoulder that he realized he had been crying.

"Your highness?" Miche's rough voice whispered near his ear. "What's got you hidden over here?"

Levi dragged in a breath, attempting to break eye contact with the space that his mother had occupied, but he found it almost impossible to look away. "I- I- I-" he tried to explain, but he realized there was no way he could even begin to describe what had just happened. And somehow, without being able to explain how, he knew it would be like when he saw Queen Eleanor, a private moment that didn't deserve to be shared.

"Let's get you back to bed." Miche whispered, before easily scooping Levi up and into his arms. "You shouldn't wonder around at night, my prince. Especially when we're out at sea."

Levi nodded, still unable to find any words. His mind was racing as he tried to discover what it was his mother had told him, as he tried to commit her face to memory.

The captain set him down in bed again, placing him gently by King Erwin's side, and almost immediately he was enveloped in the man's arms, as if he could detect his presence subconsciously. It made Levi smile, and the sudden warmth and security it provided him made him realize how tired he was. He barely could focus on the captain's voice telling him to get some rest as he tucked the blanket around both the king and the prince, making sure they were safe and sound for the rest of the night.

* * *

 **March 29th - Morning**

King Erwin had woken before Prince Levi, having slept soundly throughout the entire night. He sighed with happiness as his eyes opened to the yellow glow of the schooner's cabin, and he smiled as he turned and found the small prince snuggled close to his torso, a tuft of his dark hair covering his face from the king's view. He felt a rush of affection for the man spread from his chest outwards, and he turned on his side and pulled the smaller man closer against himself, embracing him as he slept.

Levi groaned, shifting and turning himself in Erwin's arms and unintentionally expressing his awakening. Erwin smiled and pressed his lips to Levi's temple, softly kissing him to consciousness, all the while whispering sweet affections to him. Levi moaned, stretching in Erwin's arms and reluctantly opening his eyes. He was tired, clearly indicated by the shallow circles appearing under his eyes, but he was not yet exhausted to have notable dark circles.

"M-'Win." He mumbled, his voice gentle and airy, having just woken up.

At just the one syllable of his name falling from the man's lips, Erwin felt a rush of emotions that caused him to tear up. He blinked the tears away, then laughed once at himself for reaction so emotionally. "It's nothing," he reassured Levi, noting the curiosity in his eyes, then squeezed him tightly against his chest for a beat of time. "I just remembered...the first morning we woke up on the schooner together." He admitted, "And...and how...not too long ago- I nearly lost you, Levi."

Levi blushed, then sighed heavily. "Let's not." he stated easily, "We're here now, and we're rewriting that morning."

Erwin nodded, "Good idea!" He whispered, then leaned forwards so that he could rub the tip of his nose against Levi's. He kissed his lips then wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist and, without warning, turned so that he could pull Levi on top of him. Levi gasped in surprise, then began to giggle with laughter as Erwin began kissing his chest and neck, nuzzling his face against his sternum so that the fair stubble on his chin would poke through his thin shirt and tickle Levi's chest.

"Erwin!" He gasped, immediately aroused and embarrassed by the sudden sexual play.

"Levi." Erwin moaned his name back, teasing him by licking from his collar bone to his adam's apple.

Levi blushed and squeezed his eyes shut tight, feeling his body flush with heat. "Erwin, please!" he gasped.

As suddenly as Erwin had pulled Levi to straddle himself, he released him with a smile. "Not before the wedding." He teased Levi, winking at him as he read the question in Levi's eyes regarding his sudden change of heart.

Erwin shifted, moving so that he stood up out of bed and stretched, letting Levi have a rare glance at the top of his bare bottom, as his own shirt rode up as he raised his arms above his head. Levi playfully reached out and instantly smacked his cheek, creating a resonating sound of flesh hitting flesh throughout the cabin of the ship.

The king yelped and leapt forwards, his face turning red from the embarrassment of being smacked on the bottom by his partner. "Levi!" He gasped, "I told you not before the wedding!" He teased him, attempting to hide his obvious arousal from Levi.

Levi's mouth dropped open in surprise as he realized Erwin was aroused by the playful slap, before his lips curved upwards into a devilish grin. "Oh I can't wait for the wedding." He whispered, letting his voice drop to an attractive depth that served to emphasize their location being a bedroom.

Erwin licked his lower lip and closed his eyes, attempting to keep himself in control. Levi crawled forwards on the bed, surprised by the thoughts that came to the consciousness of his mind, and reached out to take Erwin's hand. He pulled him closer to the bed, so that he stood just in front of the small mattress, before making a clear indication that he was going to lift the king's shirt. He paused with his index finger just slipped under the hem of the shirt, hesitating only a moment and giving Erwin the chance to stop him - if he wanted to. He looked up at the blonde through the dark fringe of his long black eyelashes, then lifted his shirt up towards his hips and let his eyes travel back down the man's body to the large erection protruding from his crotch.

Erwin held his breath, suddenly aware of the position they found themselves in. As he had found himself completely ensnared by the smaller man the first time they had been intimate, once more he found themselves aboard the schooner and he was for the second time unaware of how to react to keep the inevitable from happening. He stared down at his fiancé, watching the way the man had shifted to sit up on his knees on the mattress, so that he was level with the tip of the king's cock. Erwin felt his breath catch in his throat and he held his breath, afraid to let things escalate to a point where he had no control over the situation and yet he was already beginning to question if he had already let that happen.

Levi shifted his hands, letting them slide against Erwin's waist, as if he were ironing the shirt against the king's skin. When his hands met at the small of the man's back, he balled up the shirt, gathering it in a tight wad, and then flipping it under the makeshift hem, so that the shirt was pinned up on his waist and exposed his erection, leaving the smaller man's hands free. He had leaned in as he tied up the shirt, so now his cheek was pressed against the king's thigh and each breath he exhaled fell against the king's erect penis.

Erwin watched Levi in wonder, anticipating his movements, shocked that he was contemplating whatever it was he was contemplating. He yearned for Levi to touch him, to kiss him, to give him any form of release, but at the same time he felt afraid to let it happen, knowing that when it did they would cross a line that he was not entirely sure yet he was willing to cross. And yet he was speechless, unable to communicate his thought process and feelings with his lover. He could only hope that they weren't moving too fast, that they weren't going to hurt each other with misunderstandings - as they had the first time.

The atmosphere was intense, charged with their unique energy that crackled like lightning between them. When he felt as if he were going to explode from the anxiety he felt as he waited for Levi to make any movement, silently enduring the heat of his lover's breath against his pulsing cock, Levi moved away from him. Erwin released his breath in a low, heavy exhale, unaware that he had been holding it in for any amount of time. He could feel his heart hammering against his sternum, being the physical expression for his mental storm of anxiety. He hoped that Levi had made up his mind and was done whatever it was he was doing, when he felt a slender hand wrap around the shaft of his erection and squeeze the girth of it softly, as if testing the level of hardness.

"This is your penis?" Levi asked, saying the words out loud in a tone that Erwin could only take to be rhetorical question. It wasn't so much a question asking for if it really was his penis, but rather a statement that sounds full of wonder and disbelief. Levi shifted forwards on his knees so that he was once more closer to Erwin's crotch. "This will one day be _inside_ me?" He asked again, his voice gentle and full of the same mixed emotions that it was before.

Erwin's breathing had turned heavy, each breath a loud intake and audible gust in the room. He was well aware that Levi had wanted to hear him reply, but his throat was dry and his tongue felt heavy, and he found it impossible to make any sound at all.

If Levi had looked up he would have seen the king nod in response to his questions. But he didn't look up. He didn't take his eyes off the erection in his hands at all. Instead, he shifted closer once more, so that every breath that left his body fell on the sensitive, velvety head of the king's cock. This close, he could smell the sharp, salty scent of Erwin's arousal, and it surprised him to discover he enjoyed it.

Erwin fought his voice but was unable to suppress his groan of desire and the sound left his throat in a low, rough moan. Levi's head snapped up at the sound of his lover's voice, strained with restraint and desire, and he was suddenly aware of the sexual torment that he was putting him through. Still, Levi found himself unable to move, unable to look away, his own body trembling with desire to _try_.

Hesitantly, and full of self-consciousness, Levi moved his hand on his lover's erection, sliding his hand upwards and then back down, as he had done to him the first night they had spent on the schooner. That night he hadn't looked around his lover's body and it was only on blind, drunken impulses that he had reached out and stroked his cock in time with his own thrusts, relying on animal instinct to make their bodies feel the pleasure their hearts did when they were together. This time he was literally face to face with his lover's most sensitive and intimate organ, and he was afraid that without the alcohol to fuel his actions he would be as shy and uncomfortable pleasuring his husband-to-be as he was when he was attempting to pleasure himself. Still, he was determined to take responsibility for teasing his lover, so he continued to stroke his cock in his hand, gently at first, exploring every ridge and vein, and then more determinedly, eager to please him.

Erwin's breathing became staggered, his hips twitching forwards in Levi's hand as he began to rub Erwin's erection faster and faster. The king reached up and stuffed one of his fists into his mouth, attempting to keep from crying out his lover's name loudly and alerting everyone on the vessel to what they were doing. The sensation of Levi's handjob suddenly stopped before starting again, although this time more heavily on the opposite side, so Erwin assumed Levi had switched hands. He held back his groans, making only grunted noises against his hand as his body was wracked with pleasure. He could feel sweat break out against the small of his back and down his naked legs, and he was suddenly aware that he would be in no state to explain himself if anyone were to walk in on them, or if Miche were to wake up from where he was asleep in his chair in the corner.

"Le-vi!" He gasped, suddenly afraid of being caught. He hoped by staying his name he would catch his bride-to-be's attention, and when the sensations would stop he would be able to explain his fears and stop them from going any further.

Levi paused in hearing his name, surprised by the tone of voice Erwin had spoken to him in. He didn't recall the man speaking to him in a voice that wracked with pleasure ever, including the night he had taken his virginity, and the very sound of it made him beam with pride. Suddenly, eager to make his fiancé consumed with pleasure, he decided that he wouldn't wait until the wedding to take him inside himself. He brought himself closer, so close that he was mere millimeters from his lover's cock, before he opened his mouth directly in front of it. He hesitated for a moment, his breathing warm and heavy against the head of Erwin's member as he exhaled. He licked his lips, then nervously pressed a kiss against the tip of Erwin's cock.

The king moaned softly, one of his hands coming to run his fingers through Levi's hair, and the prince took it as encouragement to continue. Inexperience made him hesitate, and surprise as he felt how soft Erwin's skin was against his lips, but he didn't let himself grow distracted. Slick precum dropped from Erwin's tip and Levi let it smear on his lips as he kissed his cock, then slowly he opened his mouth so his lips would run along the tip of Erwin's cock, before taking it inside his mouth. His first strokes were loose, self-conscious, and clearly experimental. Then his lips firmly wrapped around Erwin's girth and applied a subtle pressure as he began to suck the tip into his mouth. He stayed with just the tip for a moment, paying it lavish attention and familiarizing himself to Erwin's soft moans and the sticky sensation of his precum filling his mouth and pooling on his tongue. Then he began to take Erwin deeper into his mouth, beginning suck down his shaft; he hollowed his cheeks and kept his lips tight around Erwin's cock, making sure he paid close attention to making him feel good.

Levi kept his hands on Erwin, continuing to pump his hand on the base of Erwin's cock, then slowly reaching down to fondle his balls. It surprised him whenever Erwin's fingers would tighten in his hair or he'd moan Levi's name softly, but each surprise created a warm feeling in his chest and increased his desire to please his lover. In an odd way, he found his own excitement and happiness building as he pleased his partner, and he continued to please him until he finally could handle no more and released into Levi's mouth. Afraid to wake Miche, Erwin had held Levi by the back of the head against his cock, forcing him to take the entire length into his mouth as he came to keep him from loudly gagging. He had also stuffed his own fist into his mouth to keep from groaning out in pleasure as his orgasm coursed through him.

"Le-vi," he breathed, pulling away. His eyes widened as he heard Levi swallow his cum, and he quickly untied his shirt from behind his back to cover himself and then wipe at Levi's mouth with the hem before sitting down beside him. "That was...wow! You didn't have to...I feel-"

Levi pressed the pad of his index finger against Erwin's lips and shushed him gently. "I wanted to." He replied easily, then smirked at Erwin. "I love you."


	20. Chapter 20

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: It was next to impossible for me to write their wedding, so this story sat for sometime just waiting for the wedding the to be written. I find it quite funny that despite the entire story taking me so long to write, the hardest part - and the part that took the longest time to write and the part I probably put off the most - was the wedding at the end. I didn't want to give them a typical wedding, so I put a lot of thought into what the formalities of Rose Kingdom would be and what traditions they would carry. And I feel like this would be an accurate result. Thank you to all of my readers for all the comments and likes and for sticking around for so long as this story was being updated. Much love!

* * *

 **Chapter 20 - March 30th - Morning**

The sky was bright and full of clouds this morning, casting a silver glow on everything below it. The castle was busier than usual, with staff rushing around and making sure all the preparations were done in order. Levi was once more confined to his bedroom, and he sat at the vanity as he waited, gazing around the room and trying to remember it. He wasn't sure why, he would be able to see this room whenever he wanted he supposed, but there would be a new feeling to it, a different connection. He would no longer be himself as he knew it; he wouldn't be the Levi that stayed in this room. He would be Erwin's prince, a male-queen. Yesterday night was the last time he would sleep in this bed and awake in this room, and the thought was both scary and exciting. Tonight, Erwin and himself would move from their individual bedrooms into the King's bedchamber as king and husband-prince.

He felt a smile tug at his lips at the thought and the heat of a light blush stain his cheeks, and he scolded himself mentally for being so flattered by a mere thought of his own. He felt foolishly childish, reminding himself of Lana when they had spoken in the carriage, and he realised that despite all he had been through he was able to have the wedding he had dreamt of his entire life, even if he hadn't been aware that this was what he wanted all along.

He turned his attention to the vanity mirror and gazed at the reflection of the young man staring back at himself. He had shaved today, for the first time, and even though he hadn't been growing very much hair to begin with, the ritual was symbolic to him. His cheeks and neck were smooth, his face was dusted with a light powder, and the whole effect made him softly glow. His eyes had been lined very finely with black coal, and his eyelashes were curled with the flame of a candle. He was appreciative about today's makeup; it was subtle enough to be present but also not overwhelm his features or distort them into another person. He wanted the person Erwin would marry to clearly represent himself, and he wanted his authentic self to be the one to marry Erwin. Despite Rose Kingdom's traditions, he wanted the least amount of makeup possible. His skin appeared smooth and soft, and the powder didn't hide his high cheekbones or change the shape of his jawline. It didn't hide the naturally darker skin under his eyes or the small scar above his left eyebrow. The black coal didn't change the shape of his eyes, or make them appear any wider or narrower than they naturally were. And the soft pink lip stain he had chosen hadn't made his thin lips look fuller or more pronounced. He had only applied the stain to the middle of his lips, staying close to his mouth and letting the colour naturally spread out towards the top and bottom of his lips, so that it gently faded towards his naturally skin colour and didn't have harsh and bold lines where the lip stain would end and his skin would begin again.

The effect created a soft and natural looking reflection, and he was happy with the way he looked, proud even. He hadn't meant to let Lana influence his decision for his big day, but he admitted to himself that he had taken her words to heart that day in the carriage. He was a man, and he didn't want to be made up like a woman on the day of his marriage; he didn't need to fear that his partner would turn to him one day and tell him that he wasn't soft or smooth anymore, or that he didn't resemble who they had walk down the aisle to them. He wanted to be confident that he had clearly shown them who they were vowing their life to, and he wanted to be sure that they were one hundred percent in love with him for who he was before he would do them the honour of vowing his life to them. It was crazy, he admitted, to think of it that way when he had already spent so many good memories with Erwin and had clearly laid his life on the line for him, but he knew that from his past he would always have mental and physical scars that wouldn't heal. That was part of who he was, and while he could work on bettering himself, he knew that it wouldn't fully go away. Not for a very long time.

He stood up and gazed at his outfit in the mirror. His hair hadn't been finished, since he had showered and it couldn't be styled while it was still damp, so it hung parted down the middle, as always, almost dry but still not quite. He wore white, entirely white, and while he had anticipated the royal family providing him a dress for the wedding, he was surprised to find they had ordered him quite an elaborate suit instead. He wore white boots that came up to his ankle, with pearl buttons that fastened them up in a vertical line, and heavy black soles. His dress pants were fitted and white, with a crease ironed down the front of them. He had been fitted into a white corset afterwards, and laced just tightly enough to be comfortable and presentable. However, the shirt and blazer of the suit were different than what Levi was used to; the shirt was designed not to be tucked into the pants, and hung just past Levi's backside. The bottom of the shirt didn't button together either, and instead left two tails along his thighs that were rolled up and tucked into the simple blue belt they had given him to wear over the shirt. The effect created a soft, circle of blue leather and white material around his waist, a dress-inspired waistband on a male-fitted suit. And the back of the shirt hung down to reflect the likeness of a bridal skirt.

The blazer was in similar fashion: rollback seablue cuffs and a pressed collar were the male focal points, but while the blazer was fitted along his waist - accentuated by the corset underneath - the blazer had a train of white silken fabric and lace that hung down around his legs, descending around his thighs. The entire outfit was soft and lightweight, and it made Levi feel rather confident and yet still surprised. When he had looked at himself in the mirror, he felt like he hadn't seen this young man before in his life, and yet he knew that several times before he had seen an equally dressed up version of himself. Still, somehow this felt different, this felt like a metamorphosis; a clear turning point in his life where he was changing from his previous self into a different, new stranger. He was nervous, hoping he could hang onto the aspects of himself that he liked, the pieces of himself that he didn't want to lose. Yet, he was equally excited seeing this new self, eager to be rid of his dark past and the horrors that tormented him in his previous life.

"Nervous dear?" Carolina asked him, entering the room with her daughter. They brought with them a tray of tea and several hair combs and brushes. And they were both already dressed up.

Carla had worn a light green dress, to accentuate her honey-brown eyes, and had her long brown hair in a simple, braided updo. She had on a pale red lip stain and had curled her eyelashes, looking simple but beautiful. Carolina had worn her purple dress, the same one she had worn the night of the ball that Levi had complimented her on. She smiled at Levi, her eyes lined with black coal as well for tonight, and her bare lips pulled into a smile as she looked at Levi, standing in front of the vanity and gazing at himself in the mirror.

"Yes." he replied, his voice tone reflecting the strain he felt. He sat back down, letting them bring him the tea and surround him from behind. The women smiled at his newfound obedience to royal grooming and began to divide his hair into sections to brush through and arrange. Time past by in a relaxed manner, and Levi felt that time both flew by and yet didn't move at all. He sipped at the black tea they had brought him, listening to Carla and Carolina talk about their plans for spring and Eren's upcoming birthday. He smiled and nodded along but didn't offer any comments of his own. He was distracted by thoughts of his mother, of the uncle he never knew, and his final moments he would have as a part of that family.

"Don't be nervous, dear." Carolina whispered in his ear, squeezing his shoulder and waking him from his thoughts. "You make a beautiful bride."

It was at that moment Levi realized they were finished with his hair. He set the teacup down on the vanity and looked up into the mirror and a small gasp of surprise left his lips. His hair had been elegantly combed so that it was without waves or kinks, and brushed towards one side so that it fell gracefully in his face and over his left eye. The longer strands from his ears back had be guided back into loose braids, which the man was amazed was even possible given the length of his hair, and then dazzling hair combs were inserted. They were made of silver, with long fine teeth that gripped his hair delicately and had a crown of white crystals that adorned the top of the comb. The royal combs pinned the lengthy, simple white veil in place, made of a soft, translucent material that reminded Levi of spider's silk. The veil currently flowed down his back and pooled in a soft flow of material, the train descending past his thigh until it reached a graceful curved point just below his knees.

"And of course," Carolina whispered, taking from her daughter's hands a silver semi-circular crown. It was placed on his head so that the gap in the circle was filled by the teeth of the combs, which slid into place so the combs were reinforced by the support of the crown, and the sides of the crown itself was decorated with many fine, thin chains, attached at the bottom so that the many chains hanging could hide in his dark hair, with many mesmerizing diamonds clinging to the strands, creating the illusion of stars in a dark night sky. The band of the crown was simple, but elegant, and finely crafted and smooth to the touch. The only part of the band that had any decoration was the front, where it rose like an elegant tiara with white diamonds and blue sapphires to mirror the waves of the ocean. At the peak of the tiara, the wave held the royal green jewel of the Smith family's crest. "The King had this crown customized for you." Carolina whispered, fixing each diamond into Levi's hair into place, "As a wedding gift."

Levi blushed, gazing at himself in the mirror. He had considered asking if they would allow him to marry King Smith without a crown, foregoing the formalities and titles, but he didn't want to offend the King. Since he was announced as his fiancé during the coronation, he was considered to be the King's Prince from that moment forwards, and he was expected to be one with the role from then until death. While he found the wedding ceremony to be the day that would transform him from who he was to who he will alway remain to be, he was well aware that that transformation had already begun many days ago now and that many people already saw him as the person he envisioned himself to be.

"You look positively radiant." Carla complimented him, "Oh, I am so proud of you!"

Levi stood and turned to face the young mother, opening his arms and letting her hug him as she wished to. "Thank you," he replied, then hugged the old maid, feeling emotions swell up inside him as he noticed the old woman had already begun to cry. In so many ways she had been the mother he had never had, and he felt that in that respect he would always have a special place for her in his heart. "Thank you so much." he whispered, holding her to his chest as she exhaled and tried to compose herself.

"Oh, it was just yesterday that Captain Miche brought you in and laid you down, your head all bloody." Carolina gasped, "I can just recall the way you cleaned up, like-"

"Like a pretty penny." Levi blushed, recalling the old woman's words to him the first day he had showered and gotten dressed.

"Like a true prince." Carolina replied, smiling at him and changing her original dialogue.

Levi felt his blush deepen, surprised to find himself feel pride at her words. "Thank you." he whispered again, "I cannot thank you enough. I wouldn't be standing here today if it weren't for you."

"Many of us would haven't have been alive today if it wasn't for you." Carla replied easily. "Come now. I think it is time we make our way down."

"Is it time yet?" Levi asked, suddenly nervous.

"No, not yet. But we will have some time to walk, calm our nerves. It isn't good to keep you cooped up in your room like a bird in a cage before your wedding."

They descended the stairs to the first floor, pausing in the grand entranceway to gather together and glance around. The entire place was immaculately clean and full of many fresh flowers. Levi glanced around and was surprised by the amount of people that weren't present; he was sure that it would be similar to the level of occupancy that had accompanied the grand ball and the coronation.

"Where is...where is everyone?" Levi asked, his voice quiet in the large hall. He gazed around as he spoke and as he did, he became distracted by the entrance to the basement.

"I think they are mostly outside." Carolina chuckled.

"Even the prisoners?" Levi asked, still intrigued by the stairway leading down to the holding cells.

"I beg your pardon?" Carla asked, stepping out from behind her mother.

"Why, no." Carolina replied, "I don't think they were invited."

"Why not?" Levi asked, taking a step towards the stairway.

"Prince Levi!" Carla cried out, surprised by his boldness. "You really shouldn't be going down there today."

"Actually Carla," Levi replied, recalling something that his mother had mentioned to him on the ship the night he saw her, "I think I do."

Without any explanation, he headed towards the stairs and pushed open the door, taking the steps at a quick pace and heading down the hauntingly familiar corridors. He could hear Carla had following him down, and he knew that she was right in her attempts to convince him from heading to the dungeons on his wedding day since the memories of being a prisoner down here was something he would rather not revisit, but it was the thought that had sprung to mind, the connection of words and memories that had brought him down here today of all days. He stopped outside the cell that had been his and laughed at the fact that someone - perhaps Hanji - had tied a string of fresh field flowers to the door today. The cell itself was empty, and he took a moment to peek in and recall the fear he had the day he was first placed inside. He was scared that he would never see Erwin again, that he would fail in attempting to protect him and lose him forever, before being executed for treason. Now, he was going to spend the rest of his life at King Erwin's side. The feelings he felt as he reminded himself of the good and the bad they had gone through overwhelmed him, and he turned his back on the cell to head instead to the one just further down from his own.

The man inside this cell had spoken to him the night of the Queen's invasion, the night of King Smith's death. He had given him water in exchange for the cell keys so Levi could lock himself back inside, and await whatever judgement Erwin would have for him. Levi was suddenly aware of something that he would have otherwise completely overlooked: he knew the man's name. That very same man was still inside the cell today, leaning his back against the same wall, keeping his long dark hair hanging down over his face.

"Levi." He crooned, surprised to see the boy so well dressed on the other side of the bars. "I thought they had taken you out to execute you." he explained himself.

"On the contrary, I am alive and well." Levi informed the man. "Kenny, I have something important to ask you and I need you to be completely honest with me."

The sailor smiled and stretched his hands out in front of him. "Shoot." he nodded.

"I need to know which Kingdom you were born in." Levi replied, "Please, trust me and give me a direct answer."

The man laughed, then reached up and tucked his greasy hair behind his pierced ears. "A sailor doesn't usually have allegiances to one port or another. But I suppose if the matter is so urgent for you, and I assume you have good reason for it to be, then I can tell you with confidence that I originally hail from the rather lacking kingdom of Sina." He laughed, his throat emitting an odd wheeze to his laughter, and air whistled between the gaps in his teeth as he inhale, then shrugged. "Ironic since it lacked many ports, but sailing was a decent living; first on the docks and then on the ships. And then the ships were a pleasant escape from such a shitty city life." He laughed at the word play he caused.

"And I assume you had a sister."

Kenny's eyes narrowed, and his eyes widened as Carla stepped into view behind Levi. He leapt back from the wall and then stood up slowly, bowing at the waist to her when he realized she wasn't who had originally mistaken her for. "Scared me silly," He admitted, "Thought the ghost of me sister just walked around the corner, I did. Give me a min'te now to reset my heart."

"When did your sister pass away?" Levi pressed.

"C'mon Levi," Carla urged him, "We shouldn't be bothering the man."

"Going to be thirteen years this Winter." Kenny replied, "For both her and her son. And sixteen for her husband."

Levi shrugged the hand Carla laid on his shoulder off himself and approached the bars of the cell. "What was your sister's name?" he asked, his voice low as he reached out to wrap his fingers around the bars.

Kenny's eyes lowered to the floor for a moment before he approached the bars. He seemed on the verge of speech, staring intently at the small man and making the move to open his mouth, but no words would come out. He seemed to debate for a moment, wondering if the man would believe him if he just stated the name, and then raised his left shirt sleeve with his right hand. Tattooed on the underside of his forearm, just before the crease of his elbow, was the silhouette of a female angel with the name 'Kutchel' tattooed in an arch under her feet. "Kutchel Ackerman is my baby sister." Kenny stated, "My full name is Kenneth Ackerman. Down at the docks, I was simply known as Kenny."

Levi's lips lifted into a weak smile and sucked in air as he inhaled. He licked his lower lip, his voice low as he replied. "My mother lived in Sina Kingdom. She passed away in winter, going to be thirteen years ago this year. I never met my father, but my mother's name was Kutchel Ackerman. I am Levi... Ackerman."

Carla's hands flew to her mouth as she gasped in surprise. Her breath became quick and short bursts, and Levi turned and led her to a small bucket, flipping upside down so she could sit and recover from the discovery.

"That means you're my uncle." He informed the man, and for a moment he felt as though he would burst with happiness at the discovery. Not only was the man before him related to him, but he was kind, intelligent, and in love with the world around himself - most especially the sea.

"Le-vi?" Kenny gasped, stating his name in shock. For a moment his mouth hung open in surprise, and then the man recovered himself. "I...yer...you are...Kutchel's son?" he managed to gasp, reaching through the bars to caress Levi's face, but stopped himself before he could dirty his nephew's skin with his own dirty hands. "I...I thought you were dead. I...I suppose I am yer uncle, Levi." Kenny replied, then laughed once. "How about it? Who knew we were related and, yet we were only a stone's throw apart these last few days."

"Kutchel knew this whole time." Levi replied, wrapping his fingers around the bars of the cell door and tilting his head to allow the sailor to touch his cheek.

"Sounds like the type of joke she would play." Kenny agreed, holding onto the grate himself with one hand and stroking the curve of Levi's cheek with the thumb on his other hand.

"Well don't just stare into each other's eyes like some kind of puppies." Carolina greeted them, breathing deeply as she recovered from having struggled to make it down the stairs and to the cells in her gown. "You have a duty to walk your nephew down the aisle. He's to be married to King Erwin Smith in an hour's time. And we have so much to do in order to get you presentable for the wedding."

* * *

 **March 30th - Afternoon**

Levi was taken to the back of the castle to walk in the gardens as he waited for the ceremony to approach. He was glad he didn't have to be cooped up in his room anymore, and being outside with Carla was a welcomed distraction. Grisha had taken Eren with him to entertain Erwin at the front of the castle, and he was glad that allowed him and Carla time to just walk quietly through the garden, without the need to fill the silence with words. He was nervous, but he as they walked he felt the nerves leaving in place of excitement. Without meaning to, he found himself walking towards Eleanor's grave, and he sat for some time with Carla by his side on the bench in front of her grave, not saying a word. In a way he found that paying respects to her was the least he could do before entering the Smith family and taking vows to remain loyal and loving to her son. A gentle wind from the sea blew in and caused the windchimes in the sprawling tree to tinkle, each sound a higher note that seemed to resonate with the bells of 'love,' 'laughter,' and 'pride.' Levi said nothing but was calmed by the sounds, finding his chest feeling warm with acceptance and love. As the time for the ceremony approached, Carla touched his hand and stood up, silently letting him know it was time to leave. He stood and nodded once to the grave, and then followed her silently back towards the castle and his destiny.

Carla, he found with an odd irony, was one of the people who went unnoticed in the castle, but played a key role to the entire story. He found himself relate to her more than he expected to, and he reached out to take her hand as they approached the edge of the garden. He had also been a simple servant in a castle once upon a time, and he knew that events such as today would not be possible without the people like Carla. She turned and watched him for a moment, curiosity in her wide eyes, and concern. "I wanted to thank you," Levi began, "Truly, Carla. Special moments, like today, just wouldn't be possible without people like you."

The lady's lips curved into a smile and a natural pink blush crept across her cheeks. "Thank you, your hig-"

"No, no." Levi waved off the title, "At least, for me. I'd rather just be Levi to you."

"And I'd just be Carla to you." She replied.

Levi smiled and this time it was his turn to blush. "I'd like that, very much." he replied, "At least this way, I don't have to give up all of myself to be Erwin's prince." he explained.

"There you are!" Carolina's wizened old voice squealed, full of excitement. "Come here, come here! I have so much to tell you before we head out."

Carla and Levi headed over to the bottom of the stairs, eager to hear the old maid out.

"It took me a little bit, but I found Captain Miche." She began, "And I explained to him that our current prisoner is actually prince Levi's uncle." She chuckled and waved her hand once. "I had to convince him that Kenneth is really related to Levi, and that it would be appropriate to excuse him from his jail for the day."

Levi blushed, and Carla giggled at his side.

"Anyways, I got permission to release him, cleaned him up, and he's just as elegant as his young nephew." She giggled. "Of course, Captain Miche has informed Erwin of what the circumstances are, so he won't be alarmed when Kenneth walks Levi down the aisle."

Levi's blushed deepened and he tried not make any sound in response to the thought of walking down the aisle to Erwin.

"Kenny." Levi's uncle spoke, heading down the stairs and fixing the cuff of his sleeve. "Just Kenny." he corrected Carolina. Kenny was showered and dressed well, in a crisp white dress shirt and a black vest with tails. He wore black dress pants, black shined sailors boots, and sea-blue necktie tucked into his vest. His black hair was swept and oiled back and off his face, with no part at all, his beard was combed and cleaned up. And like the other nobles, his eyes were lined with a dark circle of coal, his lips tainted the faintest hint of pink.

"My!" Carla placed a hand over her heart and smiled at the sailor in delight, "You look mighty handsome!"

Levi blushed and smiled at his mother's brother, noting the same way he appeared uncomfortable in the formal attire and the slight smudges around his eyes where he hadn't been used to the makeup at all. He found it a funny family resemblance, and out of that he felt a reinforcement that this man really was his uncle. There was never any doubt in his mind, but his subconscious called him childish for so readily believing it, and out of habit bred from necessity, he had been wary to make sure the prisoner wasn't a skill con-artist that was seeking an easy way out of his current bind. Still, Levi couldn't convince himself that Kutchel had meant any other person in his travels so far, and so he concluded that Kenny made the most sense to be her brother; even his name - starting with a K like Kutchel's - provided support to the theory. And he hadn't given Kenny any information when he was interrogating him, so for him to have answers that strongly matched the facts as Levi knew them to be was surprising. And the fact that his mother's name was tattooed on this man's arm was solid proof enough for Levi to readily accept him as family.

"He's tall, like Miche, but he's slender, like Levi. It was a fine challenge finding a suit for him that was formal enough to pass for a royal wedding but not too baggy or loose." Carolina mused. "I ended up borrowing from here and there, and god bless, I was able to use some ol' fashioned hand-stitching to pull the material in quite a bit."

Kenny blushed, "The woman is a miracle worker." He complimented her.

Levi smirked as Carolina blushed. They all opened their mouths to speak at once, when all around them the ringing of bells could be heard and the sound of birds flying away at the alarming noise cut them off and caught their attention.

"Oh! Prince Levi! That's your cue to head out to the stairs." Carolina began. "Carla, you must take Kenneth! I will take Levi. He needs to be up there and waiting for Levi to ascend the stairs on his own before they link arms and walk down the wall. Last minute changes, of course."

"What way are we going?" Levi asked, wondering if the path he would have to take to walk towards Erwin this time would be the same as when he was introduced to the citizens of Rose Kingdom as Erwin's fiancé.

"You walked from the west, from the sea last time." Carolina informed him, "This time you are to walk from the east towards the gate. This is symbolic since you really did arrive to us from the east, Prince Levi. And you are the prince from the stars, so you would follow the path of the sun, to represent the rising and descent into your night sky."

Levi nodded, following the old maid at her surprisingly agile pace. "That does make a lot of sense." He replied, then fell quiet as they entered the courtyard. The entire space was full of the castle guards, workers, and even a few animals. He noticed how Ness, the stablehand, had even brought out Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and her colt, Levi, to witness their marriage ceremony. He couldn't see Erwin, not even able to catch a glimpse of him from below, and it wasn't until Carolina turned on her heel and stopped before the stairs that he realized he was being rushed along, as if a current were slowly and inevitably guiding him to his lover. "Your veil." Carolina murmured, reaching out and adjusting the fabric so that it hung low over Levi's face. "We need to fix your veil." She murmured, continuing to reposition it until it hung equal and without any bunches. "There now. And one last things." She handed him a single red rose from the guard at the top of the stairs. "You must hand this rose to the man who will marry you to Erwin," She instructed him, "It is tradition in Rose Kingdom. Both of you will do it."

She headed up the stairs and then met Miche at the top waiting for her. Taking his arm in her own, they led the way up the narrow walkway towards the gate, where Miche stood off to east of Erwin and Carolina stood a short distance off to the right. Next went Carla and Grisha, with them each standing further away from Erwin but on their own respected sides. And lastly, Levi headed up the stairs. He took a deep breath and paused, trying not to let himself become lightheaded by breathing too quickly and swallowing too much oxygen at once. He was grateful that he had his uncle, since the walk down the wall seemed a lot longer than he recalled it being at the coronation. He was glad that he didn't have to walk towards Erwin on his own, as was originally planned; he was sure he would faint or stumble otherwise.

Kenny linked arms with him, and as an added reassurance, placed one of his hands on top of Levi's. He must've known how nervous he felt, because the man squeezed his hand gently and tapped it twice, indicating that Levi was not alone in all of this. Levi was glad to have the reassurance; formality was never his thing, and he was glad that despite never being one to follow the rules and formal structure of this entire regal system, he was being walked down the aisle by someone that would be familiar with that ideology at least.

All these thoughts passed through his mind within a minute. At the end of the long walk, he could see Erwin waiting for him, and suddenly every thought he had centered on just making it through to his angel waiting for him at the end. Erwin completely surprised him and took his breath away at the same time. The blonde had done the unthinkable, and Levi found he couldn't stop the smile from spreading on his face as he took in the King's outfit. Erwin was wearing a wedding dress, a white ballgown of silk and pearls. It's sweetheart neckline exposed his neck and broad shoulders, and the absence of sleeves emphasized his bulging biceps and sculpted forearms. A ribbon of white silk graced his collarbones with an elegance that appeared as enticing as frosting on an elaborate cake, and the finely detailed bodice of the gown was cinched tight and firmly around his torso, covered with a floral lace and embedded with white diamonds. The skirt of the gown hung low to his ankles, made of a material heavy like cotton but smooth as silk, and it caught the light of the sun and shone a dazzling white. On his feet the king wore white high heel shoes, with thick straps that circled his ankles and crossed over his feet in a tasteful display of modest teasing of his skin. Unlike Levi, he wore no veil. On his head he wore the same crown he had been coronated as king with, and his hair was swept flawlessly off to the side. His eyes were rimmed with dark coal and his lashes curled, and as if he had done it to tease Levi or to tribute the night of their official courtship, he wore dark red lip stain. In his hand, he held a single red rose as well.

A laugh escaped past Levi's lips, the sound appreciative, flattered, and nervous. It caused him to smile and his eyes to sparkle as he gazed down the walkway at Erwin, clad in such an elegant dress. He found it ironically amusing that his entire journey to Rose Kingdom had come full circle around the notion of a wedding dress, beginning with Lana complaining about her own dream dress and stating the fact that Levi would never be able to afford his own wedding, and eventually leading up to the point he was at now, where he was creating a new life by walking up to the man of his dreams, who wore the most exquisite wedding dress he could have imagined. And just as he had predicted, he could feel himself change after seeing Erwin in the dress, standing above the gate to the castle grounds, high above on the wall, waiting for him. He was leaving his past behind, evolving as he headed towards his future. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, he was no longer afraid and full of self-doubt; instead he was aware of his self worth and sacrifice. Each step he took was one of determination, adoration, and confidence. He was ready to embrace his future as prince of Rose Kingdom, and he would proudly do so with Erwin by his side.

His uncle escorted him the entire length of the wall, holding his hand in a fierce grip. It was as if he were attempting to make up the years that they had been apart, attempting to correct the mistake he made by not being there for Levi in the past. Levi was sure the man blamed himself for all the years of abuse Levi had endured, for not being there to provide for his nephew or his sister when they were in need, but he forgave him. Their family had been torn apart by things not in their control, and he was just grateful that they had resolved their mistakes as he was heading towards his brighter future. As they walked he could feel the sensation of two women standing on either side of him, as guests in the front row of nobles gathered along the sides of the wall; a woman clad in lavender and another in a soft pink. Eleanor and Kutchel, coming to say their final goodbyes and bear witness to the unity of their sons. He smiled, his cheeks warming as he felt loved - truly and sincerely loved - by his family.

Kenny paused in front of Erwin, looking into Levi's eyes for a moment as he squeezed his hand, trying to convey many things for the young man. He wanted his nephew to know that he wanted his special day to be full of affection and that he was truly loved. He also wanted to convey that while he was sorry, he was also proud, and he wished for nothing but the best for his nephew. Levi smiled at him, grateful that he had been escorted down the aisle rather than walking it alone. Kenny then placed Levi's hand in Erwin's, symbolically giving him over to Erwin to accept as his husband.

King Erwin smiled and nodded at Kenny, silently thanking him for having done such a traditional role of the ceremony. Kenny then came to stand off to the side of Levi, falling in line behind Carla, after Carolina, next to Levi's side. Erwin linked arms with Levi and turned away from the south facing side of the wall, turning their backs on the citizens and instead facing the castle. Levi was nervous; Miss Carolina was at his side, Miche was at Erwin's, and so he was left to guess who it would be ordaining their wedding. To his surprise Captain Hanji strode forwards and stepped between them, his dark brown eyes hidden behind the tint of his glasses, and his long brunette ponytail shaggy and unkempt. He had an infectious grin of excitement on his face, and reached out to accept the red roses they offered him, before handing them off to both Carolina and Miche. Then he reached out to let his hand hover over their's.

"We are gathered here today, royal and common, man and woman, adult and child, alive and dead, to bear witness to the union of our beloved King, Erwin Smith, and his chosen partner Prince Levi...Ackerman." Hanji smiled at Levi, grateful when Levi helped supply his last name. To Levi's left, Kenny swelled with pride at the fact that Levi was truly related to him. "The offered symbol of love and prosperity, the very symbol of our kingdom, has been received from both parties. The action to initiate a marriage ceremony has been taken, but before proceeding, I must ask both parties if they are truly consenting to the union of this marriage."

Hanji turned his attention to Erwin and exhaled, smiling at him, beaming with happiness for his longtime friend. "Do you, your highness, consent to be married to Levi Ackerman?"

Erwin nodded, and when he spoke his voice was clear and loud enough for all the commoners below to hear him. "Yes, I do."

Hanji nodded once and turned his attention to Levi. "And do you, Levi Ackerman, consent to be married to his royal highness, King Erwin Smith?"

Levi nodded and found he couldn't keep the grin off his face. "I do."

Hanji nodded, and from Carolina's hands he took a pure white scarf and wrapped it over their hands, then under, and then through their linked arms, back around, and finally tied it into a knot under their arms. "You have now been bound by the sacred cloth, used to symbolize purity and new beginnings. Under this cloth, you are understood to be alone together, to make decisions for your family - and your kingdom - within the privacy of your marriage, and let it be known that no person - man, woman, or child - be allowed to enter under this cloth. It represents the shelter of your marriage from the storm of the world."

Levi found the cloth amusing. He had no idea what the wedding ceremony would include, but the cloth was something he found he appreciated immediately. The heavy notion it carried that Erwin and him would always have a sacred space just for themselves - even if it was just symbolic - meant a lot to him, since they would be rulers of a vast kingdom.

Hanji placed his hand on top of the cloth and Levi could feel the pressure that he applied, attempting to push their hands down. Erwin held Levi's hand and did not allow their hands to be pressed down. After noticing this, Levi also began to fight the pressure, until they reached an ultimatum with Hanji only pressing their hands to hover in the same spot in the air. "Let the cloth be your vessel to steer your relationship together, so that you may fight the same obstacles, and share the same burdens and decisions. Let your minds, bodies, and souls be united, and your relationship flourish under the purity of your commitment to one another."

Hanji then took a goblet from Miche, filled with fluid. Levi wasn't sure what of, but he anticipated having to drink from it. As suspected, Hanji guided Erwin to take a sip from the goblet, and then guided it to Levi's lips, careful to make sure it did not wet or mar his veil. He closed his eyes and took a sip, surprised to find that it was flavourless, cool, and very clean. "Let the mountain's water, from the pure glaciers above us, bless your bodies inside and out and purify you in your sins against each other. Let no more deception lie between you, and let your futures be as full of truth and promise as the transparency of this drink."

Levi sighed softly, impressed by the water. The entire ceremony was very elaborate, and he was surprised by the formality of it all.

"You are both asked to kneel." Hanji directed them.

Levi glanced at Erwin and Erwin to Levi as they lowered themselves to their knees. Sitting upright, with their backs straight, they patiently waited. Hanji took a white ceramic plate from Carla and a match from Grisha, and then lit a small cube of camphor in the middle of the plate. He murmured several words that were inaudible to Levi, but he could tell they were the spoken dialogue of the Rose Kingdom, and then he began to circle both Erwin and Levi in one large circle with the flame. The scent of the camphor burning was strong and smelt enticing, but Levi was weary not to move too suddenly and risk setting himself on fire. Thrice Hanji circled them from Erwin to Levi, and then twice from Levi to Erwin. He then stopped and touched the fire to the point in the air above their heads, then at the ground between their bodies, before he circled them twices from Levi to Erwin and then thrice from Erwin to Levi again.

"May the fire cleanse any impurities around you, and allow you to enter into this marriage free of judgement, curses, or negativity. May it chase away personal and impersonal shadows, counter the darkness, and surround you with warmth and protection and love. In your own marriage, may you be safe and comforted in the knowledge that you are each other's protector and light, warmth and comfort, safety and lover."

Hanji handed the plate off to Grisha who handed the plate off to another guard to take the flame inside the castle. "Your fire shall stay alight in the throne room for the next fortnight, and the smoke shall cleanse your home of all negative spirits."

Levi found himself breathing deeply, the thought of the camphor burning and protecting them was reassuring and calming against feelings he hadn't even realized he felt. He smiled, and looked up at Hanji through his veil, waiting patiently for the ceremony to continue.

Hanji turned and looked at the castle, and Levi noticed a thin stream of smoke had begun to expel itself from the castle roof, further back and in the direction of the throne room. "The flame has been placed." Hanji announced, "You may rise." He guided them.

Erwin planted one foot, then waiting for Levi to as well, before rising to his feet. With their arms bound together, it was essentially that they moved together, or risk falling off the wall. Levi wondered if that was part of the reason they were physically bound before their vows. He was even more amazed that Erwin was managing to rise so well despite their height difference, which was made large because of his white high heels.

"You have already succeeded in rising above your first obstacle together as a couple," Hanji announced, and many loud claps and cheers were heard from the audience below. Levi smiled, his suspicion confirmed for the superstition. "May you face each and every obstacle as a couple, and rise together, as you have just now. And in the case that you stumble, may you protect and cherish, adore and aid each other so that you may stand together again."

Miche inhaled shakily at Erwin's side, quickly wiping a tear from his eye. Erwin tried to smile at him, noticing his expression out of the corner of his gaze, then glanced at Levi and smiled at him, squeezing his hand reassuringly. He was glad that Levi seemed very comfortable with all the traditions Rose Kingdom conducted, strange as they were. He was grateful Levi was so accepting.

Hanji motioned for Carolina and Miche to begin their part of the ceremony. Miche took a thin ribbon of red from Grisha, and handed one end to Carolina from around Erwin and Levi's backs. She took the ribbon and handed it to Hanji. Miche handed the other end to Hanji as well. Hanji tied the ribbon in a small bow, forming a loose circle of red around the couple that hung off their hips. Afterwards, he took the white cloth that bound then, and without untying the knot, slipped the cloth off their hands with some difficulty. He passed the cloth to Carla, who in turn handed it to Kenny, murmuring instructions for him to hold onto it and then present it to King Erwin after the ceremony.

"And now is the time for the exchanging of the vows." Hanji declared. "You may now face your partner and declare your wedding promises. Your highness, King Erwin, if you would like to go first."

Levi and Erwin turned to face each other, holding each others hands in their own. They were both smiling, gazing into each other's eyes, amazed to be where they were at the moment.

Erwin took a moment to clear his throat, then swallowed the saliva that built up in his mouth. "Levi," he spoke his name, then fell silent and smiled adoringly down at his bride. He longed to caress his face, but until their first kiss - as husband and husband - he would have to respect the veil. "From the moment that I first laid eyes on you, I knew that I wanted to be standing here with you, making you this promise." he began.

Levi's cheeks tainted a soft pink under the veil and he licked his lower lip, his smile never wavering and his eyes never leaving his fiancé's.

"I first was stricken by your beauty, this... pure innocence. And over the days I was stricken by so much more that I had never expected to find in another soul; your mind, your heart, and your very soul. In a few short days I already found it impossible to envision my life without you. You entered my life in the most unimaginable manner possible, at a time when I felt...completely lost, like a sailor tossed overboard into the cruel sea. You saved me from a fate that would be full of misery and regret. You taught me that the most beautiful things are found in nature, that every life deserves to be celebrated, and that above all else, the things and the people and the places that we love are worth fighting for. On this day, and forever more, I vow to you that I will always fight for you, for what's best for you, for whatever it is you desire. I will be your shelter in the storm, I will be the lighthouse that guides you home, I will be the shoulder you lean on to cry and the hand you hold to dance. I will be the beginning of the rest of your life and I will be there at your side until my end. I promise that from this day forth, when you cry I will cry with you, when you laugh, I will laugh with you, and no matter what, I will fight to keep you safe, and happy, and able to enjoy this beautiful world around us. You will never be alone. I promise that all I have, I will share with you. All I do, I will do with you. And all I am, I am for you. I promise that I will cherish and love, honour and respect you, from this day and for all eternity. I love you, Levi Ackerman."

Hanji paused, letting a moment of silence pass before he waved a hand towards Levi, unseen by the dark-haired man. "And now you may recite your vows, Levi." Hanji informed him.

It was Levi's turn to nervously swallow his saliva and then clear his throat. He opened his mouth to speak and then bit his lower lip instead, losing himself in Erwin's sea-blue eyes, still visible through his sheer veil. "My dearest Erwin," he began, his voice low and quiet, and yet clear and full of emotions. "When I first heard your name, I was...afraid." he confessed, "I was afraid of your judgement and of your opinion. I was afraid that my very existence would insult you, and that you would be just as...misguided as the rest of the nobles I had the privilege of meeting before. But the day I met you, I saw... a pure heart, and a beautiful, innocent soul. I saw a man that I could devote the rest of my life to, to support and follow in achieving all the freedoms that this world offers. To making this world a better place. To preserving the beauty of nature and encouraging the unity of mankind. I wanted then - and now, and for the rest of my life - to spend my days by your side, exploring this beautiful world together. I can still recall the way you smiled the first time we saw each other, as if you could look into the very core of my soul.

"I never knew the meaning of the words 'fall in love' before. I had never thought of my own wedding, or what I would seek in a future partner. But when I met you, it was as if I had known all along. And I knew that if I ever left your side, I would die in regret and sorrow. On this day, I vow to you that I will never leave your side, that I will always be there to support you, to respect you, and to love you, from this day forth and forever more. I vow that I will always defend you, honour you, and love you, even after death. I will follow you, hear you out, and be willing to find a compromise. I will share your joy and your pain equally, I will share in all your experiences, good and bad, and I will never be afraid with you by my side. I adore you, and I vow to adore you until the day I close my eyes, and beyond that. With me, you will never go unhappy, you will never go hurt. For better or worse, smooth sailing or stormy seas, in sickness and in health, from now and into the world beyond this one, I promise you that I will cherish and love, honour and respect you, from this day and for all eternity, my king, my true love, Erwin Smith."

Around them, the happy couple could hear the sniffles of their closest friends holding back tears of joy as they heard them recite their vows. Hanji motioned for Kenny and Grisha to hand Levi and Erwin their rings to present to their spouse. Then Hanji placed his hand on their's and closed his eyes. He murmured words that were not meant for the couple to hear, and then opened his eyes and removed his hand from their's. "The vows have been said. The moment has come for the couple to exchange rings, and in doing so, eternally bind themselves in marriage. If there is anyone present that has reason for these two souls to not be unified in marriage, let them speak now, or forever hold your peace."

The atmosphere of the wedding became silence, with an unnamed emotion descending on Rose Kingdom. In this silence, Levi held his breath, afraid that at any moment a voice would cry out and insist that he wasn't right for Erwin. Yet, nobody present could even envision a reason as to why the two men before them could be denied their marriage, and so Hanji hadn't waited very long before waving a hand in front of his king. "First you, your highness. You may offer your bride his ring."

Erwin's smile was full of adoration for Levi and pride in their union. He took Levi's left hand in his own, and despite trying his best, he couldn't hide how his hands shook slightly with excitement. "With this ring, Levi Ackerman, I ask you to be my husband."

Levi licked his lower lip, and unaware of the custom, blushed.

"This is where you answer." Erwin whispered to him, understanding his silence as ignorance of their tradition rather than hesitation or rejection.

Levi's blush deepened and he nodded. "I accept." he breathed, his voice little more than a whisper, before he repeated himself once more, loudly and clearly for their witnesses to hear.

Erwin slipped the simple, elegant band of gold around Levi's third finger. The jewelry slid on smoothly, the pure green diamond in the ring guarded by two slivers of aquamarine, the colour he had chosen for himself in the wedding and a precious stone from Erwin's beloved ocean. Levi felt overwhelmed looking at it, amazed by the simple style that represented him, mixed with the gemstones that represented Erwin. He blushed and smiled, and then took Erwin's left hand in his own.

"And now, Levi, your turn." Hanji directed him.

"With this ring," Levi breathed, realizing his breath was quick and shallow. He exhaled and focused on keeping his breathing even, making sure that he wouldn't pass out from nervousness and excitement. "With this ring," he spoke again.

A murmur of excitement rushed throughout the crowd and Erwin grinned down at him, his own cheeks tainting a soft pink.

Levi grew nervous, not understanding.

"Go on, Levi." Hanji encouraged him, "Disregard the audience."

Levi exhaled again, then swallowed audible. "With this ring, my king, Erwin Smith, I ask you to be my husband."

Erwin's responding smile was full of respect and love. He nodded, just as Levi had, then spread his fingers out so that Levi could easily slip the ring on him. "I accept." he breathed, his words full of pride.

Levi slipped the ring on Erwin's finger, the piece made in a similar likeness to his own. Unlike Levi's ring, the green diamond had been set into the thicker gold band, and was carved into a circular shape, but the heavy ring suited the man's larger hand, and as soon as it was in place Erwin's fingers curled to protectively keep it there.

"By the power vested in me, and by all the witnesses that stand before us," Hanji spoke, "I now pronounce you husband and husband, king and prince of Rose Kingdom. Your highness, you may kiss your bride."

Erwin licked his lower lip, sucking it into his mouth for a nervous moment, before he reached out and lifted the veil over Levi's face, draping it back over his head, revealing his crown and the diamonds in his hair. He breathed for a moment, drinking in the sight of his unveiled bride, then reached out and caressed his cheek with his left hand, letting the man feel the ring on his finger, before he leaned down and pressed their lips together. Levi gasped into his mouth, his breath leaving him as soon as they were connected. He threw his arms around Erwin's neck, feeling the blonde's arms wrapping around his shoulders, and suddenly everyone around them was applauding. Erwin moaned softly, holding Levi closer, and the smaller man lifted himself up onto his tiptoes, feeling the ghost sensation of a tingle run up his leg from the injury he sustained on his way to Rose Kingdom, and the sensation made him smile. If he had to feel that numbed pain every time he kissed Erwin, he would gladly accept it. They pulled away gasping for breath, both pink in the cheeks, beaming with happiness and adoration.

Before they could be surrounded by their friends, Hanji took their hands and guided them to the south end of the wall, so they stood high above the gate to the castle grounds before their people. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, King Erwin Smith and his bride, Prince Levi Ackerman."

Levi felt he had lost himself in the happiness and love the crowd radiated up to him. Each face he laid eyes on was smiling up at him, truly happy that he was there to enter their kingdom as their prince. Every person was ready to obey him, happy for their king to choose him, either because of his heroic acts in saving their kingdom from a dark fate that Zackly's had brought or because they were genuinely happy for their monarchy. He was amazed by the enormous amount of acceptance and love that the wedding had brought to both the kingdom and his family.

Guards down below began to walk the streets and hand out small cupcakes to each person in the audience below, offering them a treat of wedding cake, followed by a small basket of several crops each. This was the royal gift to their people, who they were not going to leave out from the celebration of their marriage. Levi knew it was Erwin's idea as he saw the surprise on the peoples' faces, and he turned to face him, reaching up to caress his cheek. Erwin leaned down and kissed him again, and he smiled, knowing that they were sure to make a positive difference in this world and encourage humanity to keep fighting for the good in life.

Clouds rolled in from the sea and in a matter of seconds their clear blue sky was home to thin white clouds, who immediately started to mist down a light rain.

"Rain! Rain!" the people below them began to laugh and point out, "Rain! The union is bless!"

Levi laughed and looked down at them, watching them in amusement. "Rain?" He repeated, then turned to face Erwin, "What is with the rain?"

"Rain is a good thing." Erwin replied, "Because it did not pour, but it did not stay sunny. It is the perfect recipe for a rainbow, the bridge between worlds."

Levi laughed and threw his arms around Erwin's neck, holding him and leaning against him. "We are truly bless!" He agreed.

Kenny approached them first, handing Erwin the white cloth and smiling at him. "Thank ye, yer highness." He began, "I am told I am to offer ye this cloth of union."

Erwin took the cloth from Kenny and surprised the man with a hug. "Kenneth Ackerman," He greeted him, "I trust you want to remain close to your nephew?" he asked him.

"Rightly so." Kenny agreed, "And it's just Kenny, if ye don't mind, yer highness."

"Well then, just Kenny," Erwin replied with a smile, "I heard you're a sailor. I'm willing to offer you a position of any rank in my navy, if it keeps you close by to your nephew."

Kenny's silver eyes lit up with excitement and he glanced to Levi and then to Erwin, overwhelmed. "I accept! Gladly, I accept! Thank ye, King Smith-"

"Just Erwin to you." Erwin smiled, "After all, Kenny, we're family now."

Carolina squealed and grabbed Levi by the shoulder, pulling him close so she could hug him and taking him away from Erwin's conversation with his estranged uncle. "My dear boy," she whispered, her voice full of pride. "Congratulations!"


	21. Chapter 21 - Epilogue

Ratings: R/NC17+  
Warnings: Violence/Gore, Sex.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the characters in this story, living (or passed) human beings or fictional characters. These events never happened, according to history or as the original author intended them. This is a work of fiction and is not intended to offend. For entertainment purposes only. Thanks.

Author's Notes: Finally this story has come to an end! I feel overwhelmed with the finish. I really hope my readers have enjoyed the little tale that I spun. Erwin and Levi are really very deserving of their own little fairy tale, and I tried my best to give them that little piece of heaven.

* * *

 **March 30th - Evening**

The events after the wedding had been festive and full of sentimental moments. Erwin had lifted Levi up and into his arms on top of the wall to a cheer of approval from their citizens. In turn, Levi lifted Erwin's skirt, holding up the dress a foot above the ground so the blonde wouldn't trip over it when he moved. Miche picked up the small train of Erwin's gown, and the king led the wedding party into the castle, carrying Levi over the threshold. The wedding party erupted into cheers behind them, and further cheers were heard following the wedding party's from the citizens celebrating outside. Levi kissed Erwin again, then the pair headed inside the throne room for their dinner celebration. The guests gathered around the large table, with Levi and Erwin side by side at the middle of the table today.

"This is how I want to sit from now on." Erwin declared, informing Miche and Carolina. "I'm not like my father, I don't want to sit across the length of this table from my bride at each meal."

Levi blushed and covered Erwin's hand with his own, recalling how Erwin's father had sat with the guards on one end of the table and his wife had sat all the way down at the other with her ladies-in-waiting.

They had a wedding feast of the simplest but most elegant foods: fire roasted salmon with lemon dressing; wheat noodle stir-fry with colourful fresh peppers, green beans, and ocean-caught mussels; corn on the cob; green peas; a winter salad of ice lettuce, snow peas, baby tomatoes, green onions, pecans, and vinegrette dressing; a summer garden salad with pineapple and pears; soft warm dinner buns; mashed potatoes with carrots, herbs, and black pepper; and grilled wild mushrooms stuffed with crab meat and seaweed. For drinks they enjoyed sparkling champagne and sparkling strawberry juice, and as a special treat for the newly weds, a pitcher of ice water from the mountain glaciers.

After dinner, the castle staff directed the wedding party into the grand hall, where an orchestra of seventy musicians was set up. They began to play their first song, and the guests all cleared a space in the center of the room, waiting for the king and his bride to make their first dance together as husband and husband. Erwin offered his hand to Levi and smiled as the smaller man blushed and accepted, before holding up his dress with one hand and leading him out onto the dance floor. Levi was vaguely reminded of the night they danced at the royal ball, the night they both let their emotions truly be felt by the other. He let Erwin lead him in a small circle, spinning them around at a slow and steady pace, showing him off to the entire room. He lifted their arms and spun Levi under them, then pulled him in gently and dipped him over his knee. The audience had applauded and then Carolina had stepped in and asked Erwin for a dance, and Levi realized she was standing in for his mother. Kenny stepped forwards and offered his hand to Levi, stepping in for his own absent parents, and the pair awkwardly held each other's shoulders and swayed to the music, self-conscious and not at all trained for the art of dancing in front of many royal people. Carolina soon after requested to dance with Levi, Carla asked to dance with Erwin, and surprisingly Miche found himself asking Kenny to join him for a dance as well. As the party progressed, Levi had found he had been asked to dance by many of the guests and castle staff, and he was happy to sway, spin, and twirl with all of them. Erwin never let the crowd carry him too far away, which some of their friends teased him about, but Levi couldn't have felt happier about it.

When they were all thoroughly exhausted, they were led back into the throne room where the castle staff had already cleared up the dinner mess and arranged for the wedding cake to be cut. The cake was a large, traditionally three-tier strawberry cake, with vanilla frosting in between the many layers. Red roses had been placed along the various levels, and at the top was two roses that they had handed Hanji at the start of their ceremony. Levi blushed and pointed out the roses to Erwin, and his husband smiled down at him and kissed his head. Their hands were wrapped together again in the white cloth before they were allowed to pick up the knife together and then cut into the cake. They cut each other a bite-size piece, which they fed to their partner in front of everyone. Then the cake was divided by the chef and handed out to the guests sitting around the table. There was also fruit salad of peaches, strawberries, cherries, apples, pears, and wildberries, as well as fresh whipped cream, sponge cake, and chocolate squares.

Levi and Erwin had left the table earlier than their guests, retreating to the gardens to walk in the early evening air. The sun was setting in the distance, descending below the horizon line, and the sky was set ablaze in the most astonishing colours of red and orange.

"Red sun in the morning, sailor's warning. Red sun at night, sailor's delight." Erwin murmured, holding Levi close to him, his arm around the smaller man's shoulder.

"Tomorrow must be a good day to set sail." Levi replied, "If you'd want to take out the schooner."

"Are you offering to come sailing with me?" Erwin asked him, looking down at Levi with delight.

"Maybe." Levi shrugged, meeting Erwin's gaze. "Maybe I'm offering _you_ to come sailing with _me_ , if you let me sail."

Erwin lifted his eyebrows in surprise, then tilted his head. "I thought you were afraid of sailing." he replied, "Are you sure you can manage it?"

"With you by my side, I can manage anything." Levi replied, full of confidence.

"Alright then." Erwin grinned, "Tomorrow we go sailing. I'll inform Captain Kenneth to make sure the schooner is ready to depart after breakfast."

"Captain Kenneth?" Levi repeated, his voice a mocking tone of surprise. "You hired my uncle as captain?"

Erwin shrugged this time and smiled coyly, looking out to the sea. "He has an impressive resume." he replied, "I'm not surprised he was never there for you. Not that it's fair for you, but he did spend many years at sea."

Levi nodded, "I'd love to hear his stories." he replied, "Sail to some of those places, maybe?"

"We'll sail together." Erwin replied, "And he has all the time in the world to tell us his stories."

"What was he in jail for?" Levi asked suddenly, recalling he had met Kenny in the castle dungeons.

Erwin chuckled, "Food theft." he replied, "After he was involved in a fist fight in the pub. He never paid since he was arrested for the fight. And then there's the matter of the fight."

Levi chuckled and rolled his eyes. "That's understandable I presume."

"Oh, we would have just fined him anyways." Erwin replied, rolling his eyes. "I'm sure he was only in there as long as he was because of the whole Sina children problem."

"'Problem?'" Levi repeated, this time surprised.

"Well, you weren't a problem but the others dying were."

Levi laughed, then sighed heavily. He wanted to ask about the ruling of the kingdom, confess to Erwin that he was afraid he would get in the way of any real progression towards peace for all the kingdoms, when Erwin took his hand and began to lead him through the gardens. They walked in silence, happy to simply be together, and after some time of just strolling past all the flowers and streams of water, they had come to sit on the bench in front of Erwin's parent's graves. They were silent for a time, even the tree that held all the wind chimes not making a sound, and then Erwin pointed out a small plot of land on the other side of the tree. "I decided to put a stone there for your mother." he informed Levi, "So you and Kenneth can mourn her in peace."

"Erwin," Levi gasped, "That's kind of you. But my mother wasn't a royal, and she certainly shouldn't infringe on your parents space. I'm sure a small plaque somewhere in the common grounds would be fine."

"Nonsense." Erwin replied, waving Levi's concerns off. "I already spoke to the blacksmith about it. It won't be anything fancy, but it will have her name and an engraving of an angel. I figured that since my mother and you would have gotten along, then surely your mother and I would have gotten along as well."

Levi blushed, knowing that there was no convincing Erwin otherwise now. "Thank you." He replied, leaning his head against Erwin's chest and letting the larger man hold him. "I know my mother would have adored you." he replied.

Erwin held Levi for a long time, staring at the graves as his bride leaned against his naked shoulder, Levi's slender hand resting on the bodice of his wedding gown.

"It's getting dark." he announced, "And we should be getting back."

Levi exhaled heavily and moved, pulling away from Erwin reluctantly before standing up. The blonde followed Levi's lead, then paused to gather the skirt of his dress in one hand. He pulled Levi close again, throwing an arm around his shoulder and hugging him close to his side, before leading the way back through the gardens to the castle. Levi threw an arm around Erwin's waist, noticing as they headed back that many lamps had been lit in the garden - just like the night of the ball - and many couples and small groups were strolling through, catching the last few rays of the sun.

"This is going to be our first night together in the king's chamber." Erwin grinned, "I'm so excited to wake up next to you in my bed, I'm not even sure this perfect day was real or if it was just a really good dream."

Levi chuckled and waved at Carolina as they passed by her, already heading up to their room. Carolina touched her daughters arm and Carla touched Miche's. The pair of young friends approached Levi and Erwin, intercepting them.

"We came to bid you goodnight." They informed them, "We will ensure the party guests are safe, and afterwards Miche will return to his quarters, next door to your room for you safety."

"Thank you, Carla." Erwin replied, "And of course, Miche, my dear friend." He released Levi to wrap his arms around Miche, holding him close. "And thank you, for bringing Levi to me. I cannot thank you enough."

"I'm happy for you Erwin," Miche replied, "You've always been like a brother to me. I couldn't be happier for you."

Erwin pulled away and took hold of Levi's hand. "We're going out sailing on the schooner tomorrow." He informed Miche, "Please let Kenneth know, and of course make sure you're well rested."

Miche nodded and rolled his eyes, "Of course. I'll let Ken know. Rest well you two."

Erwin nodded and led Levi back into the castle and up the stairs towards the grand bedroom at the back of the castle. From their room, they could oversee the gardens and the cemetary, with a clear view of the tree near Eleanor's grave and all the way down to the harbour. Erwin closed the double-doors behind themselves and Levi stepped out of his shoes, placing them on a small rack between their bedroom door and a large mirror, surprised to notice that several of his shoes had been placed there already.

"When was all this changed?" He asked, curious about the whole castle's inner workings.

"Probably around the same time the kitchens were cleaned and the guests were fed and the ceremony was over." Erwin shrugged, "They probably wouldn't have done it before we were wed. Traditions." He rolled his eyes.

Levi chuckled, "Oh." He replied simply. "This is a beautiful room." he commented, gazing around.

The large bed was in the center of the room, with space to walk entirely around it. It was on a raised platform, a slight step up from the rest of the room. The room appeared circular as well, and Levi realised that it felt that was because the back wall was rounded to give them a fuller view of the back of the castle; from here one could see the field they rode horses in the east all the way to the sea in the west. There was no bedside tables, no vanities, and no hutches, nothing that would indicate they were living there except the bed, two large mirrors on either side of the doors, and the shoe rack that let them put their shoes and slippers away. Beside the shoe rack was a low table. On either side of the window was a small, closed door, that appeared to blend into the wall. Overall it was large, spacious, and clean.

"You think?" Erwin asked, surprised. "I'm glad you like it. That means we don't have to decorate it."

Levi raised an eyebrow and looked around. "Decorate it with what?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," Erwin shrugged. "My dad requested a table of flowers on either side every day. My grandfather always wanted his fishing trophies mounted on the walls. I'm not sure what we'd put up." he shrugged. "I was going to ask you tomorrow, but-"

"I like it plain." Levi shrugged. "Pictures seem rather pointless. I'd only want to see you or the ships or the horses or outside; all of which I have access to already. And flowers wiit. Trophies are to show off to others, not yourself. It's clean and spacious. I like it this way."

Erwin smiled, surprised. "Well, there is one thing...I would want."

Levi's only response was to raise one eyebrow.

"I...have a carving, that I hung up in my room."

Levi licked his lower lip, eager to learn about Erwin's possessions. He hadn't seen much of Erwin's room as a prince, having only been in it to save his life, but he did recall that the walls had been quite bare as well, that the prince-at-the-time had no desire for very many things to be everywhere. "Isn't there anything from your room previously...that you would want?" Levi asked.

"Nothing. Just the carving." Erwin replied easily. "I only had a map up on my room wall, and the rest were letters from my mom. I put them in a book now, since I figured they would be too easy to sun-bleach if I left them up on the walls now."

Levi nodded, "That makes sense."

"Besides, I- we- have more space now." He pointed at the door to the east and then the door to the west, "That leads up to the private study. And that leads up to the closet. Both in the turrets; but the closet can also lead to the bathrooms, it is all very confusing for a while."

Levi laughed as Erwin joked, and then stepped closer to him, watching him as he reached under the pillow and produced a small wooden carving. It had the likeness of a face, and when Levi was close enough realized that it was a carving of himself, turning back to face the viewer, his hand on the railing of what appeared to be a ship. "Erwin," he breathed his name, "When did you-"

"I had Furlan, my sailor, carve it the day we first went sailing." Erwin confessed. "I was afraid that you would leave to Sina Kingdom and that this is all that I would have in your absence."

Levi blushed and reached out to touch the carving, stroking his own cheek with the pad of his index finger. "It's remarkable." He replied, "Sad that it isn't a pair."

Erwin blushed this time. "Maybe another sailing." he replied, taking the carving and hanging it on a small hook in the wall above his shoe rack.

"Husband," Levi called out to him, smiling coyly as the blonde turned to face him, "I loved seeing you in your dress today." he teased him, changing the subject. "I was quite surprised."

Erwin's smiled at Levi, glad that he was happy. "I thought that after all the traditionals and customs we put the bride through, I should get to wear something that matches the formality of it all." he shrugged.

Levi came closer to Erwin and placed a hand on his bare shoulder, "I think this dress really suits you." He replied, "It really compliments your figure."

Both Erwin and Levi gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, sharing a smile, before they burst out laughing.

"I really hoped you'd like it." Erwin confessed, catching Levi in his arms and leaning down to kiss him. Levi moaned and let Erwin deepen the kiss, leaning his cheek against the man's palm. Erwin blushed and pulled away, then began to undress Levi. "Let me take you to bed." he whispered, his voice low and smooth.

Levi sighed, feeling his body begin to break out in a rush of excitement. Similar to the nights they spent together on the boat, he felt warm and charged with energy. "I'd like that." he replied, "Let me help you out of your dress."

Erwin smirked and picked Levi up easily, discarding his blazer on the on the low table beside the mirror. Levi moaned, leaning up to kiss Erwin and then unclipped the back of his dress, before running his fingers along his broad shoulders, tracing the skin of his back. Erwin sighed, opening Levi shirt and belt, and beginning to quickly undress his bride.

"I missed sleeping beside you." Erwin confessed, "I missed listening to your breath."

Levi blushed, "I missed your warmth." he murmured between kisses, "Your body next to mine."

Erwin's kisses became more urgent, his tongue beginning to lick at Levi's lips, venture into his mouth where Levi's tongue was ready to tangle with it. Erwin fumbled with the ties on Levi's pants, unlacing them at the same time Levi fumbled with the buttons that held together Erwin's dress at the back. They both managed to somehow undo the other's fastenings at the same time, and then push the material down. Under his pants Levi had been given an underwear made of lace to wear, which he found hadn't been as uncomfortable as he had initially thought they would be, and his corset had garter extensions that slipped down his legs to hold up his sheer, white stockings. Under Erwin's dress, he had had boldly worn nothing but the traditional white garter belt around the left thigh.

Levi began to laugh as Erwin's dress fell away. Heat rushed into his cheeks and Erwin smiled at his reaction, touching his blushing face. "My blushing bride," he teased Levi, then guided Levi to lay on the bed, pulling the sheets down so he could rest on the soft warm insides. "Careful of your veil." he reminded him, "I don't want to take that off you just yet."

Levi blushed again, his body warm and energized and excited to couple with Erwin. They would finally be able to become one in body, as they had been so tempted to in the past. "Is this all that you plan to take off of me?" Levi asked, surprised that Erwin was fully naked before him and he still was not.

"I'm enjoying the wrappings on my gift." Erwin replied teasingly, "Except this one that seems to be in the way." He reached down and delicately stroked his fingers along the front of Levi's underwear, boldly teasing his bride's erection.

Levi moaned, his voice escaping him as he felt his cock stir. "Oh!" He gasped, "Erwin!"

Erwin bit his lower lip, enjoying the sound of his name from his prince's lips. He knelt before Levi, beginning to kiss his naked thighs. "Yes, say my name again." he commanded him.

"Er-win!" Levi swooned, obeying. His hands came to hold Erwin's, which were resting on his thighs and gently guiding his legs apart.

Erwin inhaled in a hiss, breathing in Levi's scent as he kiss his quivering thighs. "You are so beautiful." he whispered, before removing one hand from Levi's thigh and tracing up his crotch, feeling his scrotum through the underwear. "So beautiful." He whispered, leaning in to kiss the outline of his erection through the lace.

"Ohh, husband!" Levi gasped, his hand jumping to the back of Erwin's head, his fingers tangling in his blonde hair.

Erwin felt proud as Levi called him by the title husband again, and in response he leaned in to press a kiss to his cock in the lacy underwear. Levi rewarded him with a loud moan of arousal, which only aroused Erwin further. He grasped Levi's thighs and pushed them open further, then leaned in the catch the waist of the lacy underwear in his teeth. "I've waited," he began, then pulled sharply, and let the tear of the fabric resonate loudly in the room, "so long to have you as my own." he moaned, taking the fabric off Levi and discarding it off the edge of the bed.

Levi gasped, surprised by Erwin's dominant behaviour, and felt a thrill of excitement run up his spine. Erwin didn't give him a moment to recover, leaning in and licked down Levi's shaft from tip to base. Levi moaned, his back arching off the bed slightly, and his legs pressed against the mattress. Erwin exhaled heavily, kissed at Levi's scrotum, and then guided his legs so they rested against his own shoulders. "Up, up." he guided him, lifting Levi slightly so that his entrance was exposed to him. "I promise I'm going to make you feel as good as you made me feel before." He groaned, before beginning to kiss at Levi's entrance.

Levi gasped and moaned, shivering at Erwin's sudden touches. His hands could barely reach him now, so he gave up and grasped handfuls of the sheets beside himself. Erwin kissed at his body, then began to lick over his entrance with his tongue, coaxing his body into relaxing for him. He licked him several times, stroking over him with his tongue, then began to suck. Levi attempted to hold back his voice, afraid the entire castle would hear him crying out Erwin's name in the endless amounts of pleasure he was feeling, and then the blonde pulled away. He returned to kiss Levi's thighs, lick down his cock, suck on his balls, before he returned to his entrance. He continued this cycle until Levi felt dizzy with excitement and his cock was wet with precum dripping down it.

"Erwin," He moaned, beginning to squirm, "Oh, oh, I can't take it anymore!" he gasped.

Erwin chuckled darkly, amused by Levi's reaction. "Oh?" He asked, "I'm sure you can take much, much more." he seductively teased him, then began to lick his entrance again. On the third stroke with his tongue he applied pressure and pushed the tip of his tongue into Levi's entrance, beginning to stretch him out. Levi cried out from surprise, his hands curling into fist around the sheets and his back arching, rising his hips. "So good!" Erwin moaned, then resumed stretching Levi with his tongue. He entered him and then thrust his tongue inside several times, before wiggling it around. Levi squeezed his eyes shut and lay gasping before him, amazed by how much pleasure his body could hold. And then Erwin was gone again.

Weight shifted on the bed and Levi opened his eyes to find Erwin sitting up on the bed with him, between his open legs. "I'm going to take you now, Levi." Erwin stated, full of pride and affection. He reached down and wrapped an arm around Levi's shoulders, holding him in place, then gently pushed one of his legs wider before guiding his own cock to press against Levi's entrance. Levi was surprised to find that Erwin had already cum, having been stroking himself to Levi's moans of pleasure, and he used that cum to lubricate his own erection, which was thick and hot against his own lithe body.

"Erwin," He gasped, suddenly afraid.

"Don't be scared." Erwin replied, holding him and beginning to kiss the corners of his lips, "It's going to be alright. Trust me?"

Levi nodded, "I do." He gasped, then licked his lips, catching his breath.

Erwin nodded but said nothing in reply. He thrust his hips forward, pushing his cock into Levi with a firm force, feeling the smaller man's body initially resist his invasion and then give way, accepting his penetration slowly. He gasped, breathing out in surprise by how wet, hot, and tight Levi was around his member, and he stilled for a moment, not fully entering him. Levi took the moment to let himself adjust. He didn't scream or cry out, but exhaled rather slowly and shakily, accepting Erwin's body into his own with some difficulty. He shivered, inhaling and exhaling in gasps, and then cried out in pain as Erwin suddenly shifted, continuing to push into him, taking him fully in one long, slow thrust. Erwin groaned loudly, his arms holding Levi's shoulders and pulling the smaller man towards himself. Levi's eyes flew open and widened, his back arched and his cry of surprise and pain echoed throughout the room for a moment. Erwin paused, stilling once he was fully inside Levi. He could feel the slick wet tissues of Levi's insides quivering around his cock, the man's lithe body adjusting to his dramatic entrance. He gave him a moment to catch his breath, breathing heavy himself, trying to control himself so he didn't accidentally hurt Levi.

"I'm going to move now." Erwin told him after a few breaths, "It's going to feel better if I do."

He began to thrust his hips, dragging himself out of the smaller man by a fraction and then entering his fully again. He waited until his bride's gasps began to sound more like moans of pleasure and less of surprised pain before he began to pull further out with each stroke, so that only the tip of his erection was inside before he would thrust inside him again. As they began to find their rhythm in their new act of intimacy, their voices began to rise and mingle, just as their bodies did, and their pace began to increase. With time, their sweaty bodies began to rub against each other, the fabric on Levi's body and the sheets around them becoming damp with their body fluids. They caught each others' moans in their mouths as they kissed, struggling to breath around each others' tongues as they molded their bodies together over and over, until they couldn't take anymore and their excitement hit a climax.

Then they clung to each other, feeling wave after wave of euphoria travel through their pulsating bodies, feeling every nerve and fibre within themselves come alive. They lay gasping and catching their breath, tangle in each others' arms, not willing to move out of their position to separate their bodies. After several minutes, they felt the resonating echos of their excitement begin to fade enough to caress each others' body, attempting to break through the daze that their orgasms left them in. Erwin licked his lower lip, lifted himself off the smaller man and held his slender shoulders so he could brace the smaller man as he pulled out. Levi gasped, feeling his body suddenly empty and felt strangely hollow. He moaned, the warm sticky seed of his husband beginning to slip out of his body and down his legs. Erwin only adjusted Levi on the mattress, making him comfortable with the pillows and then pulling up the sheets around them. He lay on his side beside his bride, turning so he could gaze at him as they rested together.

"That was...more than I imagined it would be." he confessed.

Levi laughed as he gazed up at the ceiling, laying on his back. "You did imagine it at some point." He teased Erwin.

"I'm not shy to admit it." Erwin shrugged, "There were many nights that I would think of you."

Levi blushed. He had tried to control his sexual thoughts of Erwin, feeling like he was misbehaving if he attempted otherwise. He turned to lay on his side as well, tucking an arm under his head and resting his head on his elbow. "I'd be lying if I said I never thought of you as well."

Erwin grinned proudly, then reached out to caress Levi's cheek. "What was your favorite part of today?" he asked, genuinely curious. "I mean, asides from now."

Levi chuckled, finding Erwin's bedroom humour along his own lines of funny. "Hmm, that would be hard to say. The cake was amazing, all the food was. But the citizens, I can't get them out of my mind. They were so happy."

Erwin hummed in agreement, not fully understanding what Levi had meant. The people of Rose Kingdom - collectively - were always happy, and when they rarely were not, then his father had worked tirelessly until they were again. He intended to rule with the same main intent for his people. "Happier than usual?" He asked, taking Levi's perspective into account.

"Well, their acceptance was so readily granted to me." Levi mumbled, trying to find the right words to explain himself. "I just...I wasn't prepared."

"They heard what happened to the king, we didn't sugarcoat the details." Erwin replied.

"I'm aware of that." the dark-haired man replied, "I just-"

"Don't doubt yourself." Erwin cut him off. "You're questioning if you would be approved of to be their leader and the truth is that they wouldn't know the answer to that. _I_ know, and _you_ know, and the castle staff knows. And that's all that matters. The common folk don't know, and they don't want to know. They're content to be governors of their own lives, provided they follow the general rules of society, and even then that applies to all of us. You were raised side by side with a prince; I know you've had more than the necessary training to be an exemplary leader."

"By your side, I have no doubts." Levi replied, accepting the compliment without a fuss. "But despite all the extensive training and studies, aren't you nervous though?" he asked, meeting Erwin's eyes with an innocent curiosity.

"To rule?" Erwin shrugged, watching Levi nod. "Sure I am. I've just been landed the responsibility of an entire kingdom. All these lives now depend on what I say. The stroke of a pen can sign trade agreements that would provide all of them with many prosperous years ahead, or I could lead us into the darkest ages this kingdom has faced. But that's my charge in life and I'm willing to accept it. I am determined to make the best decisions and if some people die because of that, then I hope that I can honour them and...find a way to keep humanity strong. It's never easy to accept being responsible for so many lives, and one would never want to be the reason that someone loses there's, but sometimes - like in the case of Queen Zackly - it must be done for the greater good. If a sacrifice today means humanity's victory tomorrow, then that is, unfortunately, the price to be paid."

Levi listened to his husband's words, losing himself in the confidence he displayed. He himself was confident in his own skills, his own decisions. It was the responsibility over others that made him feel hesitant, and he admired Erwin's resolve towards the matter.

"No matter what, Levi, I will do what I have to to provide for my people." he smiled at him, caressing his cheek with his thumb, "And that is also my duty and promise to you, as your king and husband."

"We are blessed," Levi replied, "To have such a responsible king."

Erwin grinned and a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. "I suppose so." he replied.

They were silent, lying side by side, indulging in the moment. Their breathing had become steady and shallow, low and full breaths that didn't overwhelm them anymore. Their bodies were calm and quiet and at ease after being so wildly excited. Erwin reflected on Levi's emotions and the expressions he went through as they discussed ruling their kingdom together. Levi reflected on the townspeople, wondering about their expressions earlier today.

"What was with the murmuring when we exchanged rings?" Levi asked, breaking their silence and moving their conversation on. "Did I say the wrong thing?"

"No." Erwin chuckled at the memory, "You said the right thing."

Levi sighed and rolled his eyes. "Tradition?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"You guessed it." Erwin replied, then winked at Levi. "When a bride repeats the offer of the ring, it is seen as they are head over heels in love with the groom, so much so that they can't think straight." he smuggled explained, "And you repeated yourself _twice_ , so you must really, really be in love with me."

Levi blushed, realizing how it must have appeared to the public. "Oh." he mumbled, "I can see why they were happy then." he replied.

"I was happy too." Erwin replied, leaning forwards to kiss Levi's cheek.

"I thought you weren't the traditional type." Levi teased him.

"I'm not." Erwin replied, "But I really liked that one."

Levi smiled, saying nothing in reply. He was enjoying the moment, focusing on remembering it, focusing on admiring Erwin in this moment. The blonde reached out and brushed the stray black strands that fell in Levi's face and covered his eyes.

"Can I ask you something...just to help me clear something up about that night...the raid?" he asked.

Levi's eyes narrowed for a moment and he was surprised by the way their conversation had turned. Still, he could tell it took Erwin a lot to ask him that question, and he was sure that Erwin didn't mean to hurt him in any way. "S-sure," he replied, "I'll try to give you a good answer."

"What did you ask her?" Erwin asked, his voice low and rough, strained with the emotions he was battling as he tried to force the words out in a gentle way. "Before you kil-stabbed her, Queen Zackly, what was it you asked her? I was...in and out of reality, but I could hear you. I just...couldn't understand you-"

"I was speaking our dialect." Levi cut his husband off, speaking softly but not yet meeting Erwin's curious blue eyes. He averted his gaze, staring at the man's chest instead. "The Sina dialect."

"That's how it sounds?" Erwin made a face, unseen by his bride, but his tone conveyed the dislike he expressed. "It was...harsh, very rigid and graceless. I think I picked up on it as an accent the first day we met, but I never really focused on it. Your common and your Rose are much sweeter."

Levi smirked, then nodded his agreement. "Thank you." he accepted the compliment, "I don't know why I spoke it, maybe out of habit from seeing her face, but I didn't mean to. I'm surprised you aren't well versed in it."

"It was the least focused on dialect I was taught, to be honest." Erwin chuckled, "And truth be told, not much of that night made much sense to me."

"Understandably." Levi replied. He was quiet for a minute, staring up at the ceiling as if he were viewing the memory projected on the flat, white wall. "I asked her why she did it, plan to kill you and your father, I mean." He paused, losing himself in the memory of Queen Zackly's face, the way her lips twisted up as she sneered, her cheek twitching with rage. His voice was low and quiet, each word chosen with care.

Erwin waited patiently, listening intently to every word his lover spoke. His concern grew as he watched the smaller man lose himself in the memory, so he moved closer and threw an arm around Levi's shoulders, pulling the smaller man against his own body. "What did she say Levi?" He asked him gently, attempting to bring him back to reality.

"'Quite simply, to _rule_.'" Levi replied, lifting his face up to meet Erwin's eyes. Initially his actions could be mistaken for arrogance, the way he tilted his chin up appearing mocking at first, and it took the king a moment to realize that Levi was directly quoting the Queen. "She said you would have married Lana and then she would have been able to kill you and your father. Since Lana was underage to rule, her brother Nile would take the throne as regent. But I had interfered and _ruined_ her plan." He put the same emphasis on the words that she had, turning his face away from Erwin to hide the emotion in his eyes. He sighed heavily, exhaling his warm breath on Erwin's hands as the taller man attempted to coax him to meet his eyes again by caressing his chin. "So I asked her about the ambush," Levi continued, not allowing Erwin to speak despite hearing him open his mouth. "And why she planned it before the wedding-"

"And that's when she said it was to kill you." Erwin replied, "Carolina told me that much." He explained.

"Yeah, 'the bastard servant-son she was landed with all those years ago.'" Levi mumbled, once more repeating the queen's exact words, hearing her voice in his mind as if they were speaking a twisted duet. His voice wavered in likeness to her's when she had said the same words, and yet it was for entirely different reasons that his voice was so full of emotions. Unable to handle the recollection of several years worth of trauma and abuse, tears spilt down his cheeks without his permission to cry openly in front of his husband.

"Hey," Erwin began, wrapping his arms around Levi's shoulders and attempting to hug him. He carefully unpinned the veil from his head, taking care to not hurt him by pulling his hair or scratching him with the teeth of the hair combs. He took the jewelry off, then the crown and the veil, placing them behind himself on the bed to free Levi of any restraints or items that caused him to feel suffocated. The smaller man let him remove the items but pushed him away when the blonde made to cuddle him, attempting to explain himself.

"I couldn't believe someone could do that all for...for _power._ " He mumbled, "End human lives, blame innocent people. And that's when she told me 'anyone would have done it, even you' and...and that I was similar, for pretending to be her son in some sick attempt to claim the throne."

Just as before, Levi's hands began to shake with overwhelming emotions, rage for being accused and misunderstood, but now grief and an ocean of sorrow as he remembered how close he had been to losing the man he loved forever. Erwin caressed his lover's cheek, then let his hands slid down his neck, past his shoulders, so he could rub his upper arms endearingly.

"'You - a servant boy that had no wealth or title to his name, a lowly sailor's bastard with a whore mother - you would definitely kill for power, even just a _slice_. How do we know you didn't kill _my_ children in that ambush to take their place?'" Levi repeated the queen's words out loud, translating them for Erwin. He could feel a numbness begin to spread throughout his body, a chill that made him feel unwell. His body succumbed to the sobs he was holding back, and he reached an arm up to throw around Erwin's shoulder as he collapsed against his chest in tears. "I couldn't take her words anymore. I couldn't let her- I couldn't let her- not anymore-"

Erwin wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders, rubbing his back slowly and affectionately. He listened to him speak, hanging on to his every word, knowing that it was of vital importance that he was there to emotionally support Levi right now by listening to every word he had to say. He tightened his arms around him so that Levi could feel the pressure of the hug and feel secure against the warmth of his lover's chest. Held so closely against the blonde, Levi tilted his head, nuzzling his cheek against the taller man's sternum, and listened to the heavy, proud beating of his heart. A smile crept on his face despite his emotions, a smile that only his lover could bring to him to smile, and he sniffed as he fought his sobs to stabilize his breathing.

"I wouldn't let her- take away what I wanted. Or make me the bad guy so she'd be forgiven. Not anymore." Levi gasped, his slender body shaking violently as he gasped for breath between sobs. "I didn't mean it," he mumbled, his voice muffled against Erwin's body. "I didn't mean to kill her, I didn't want to have to hurt anyone, let alone take a life-"

"Shh." Erwin whispered, hearing enough. He didn't want Levi to put the blame on himself, not for the abusive actions of others. "No one blames you, Levi."

"I- I can't get the image out of my head. Her lifeless eyes, all that blood-"

"It's alright, Levi. She's gone now. And, I'm glad you did it." Erwin confessed, holding Levi in his arms. "It let me keep you here with me."

Levi blushed, his hands curling into fists against Erwin's naked chest, feeling the soft, blonde hairs that covered the valley of his sternum and the plains of his pectorals. He nuzzled his cheek against his chest again, sighing softly against him, and affectionately pressing light kisses against the man's heated skin. "Thank you." He whispered, knowing that his soft voice would carry just far enough for Erwin to hear. "Thank you."

Erwin smiled, holding Levi tenderly and occasionally pressing kisses to his hair. "Mmh?" He hummed, prompting Levi to look up at him by shaking him gently against his shoulder. "I have one more question, my love." He began, rubbing his hand against the smaller man's back. He smiled down at Levi, leaning down to press a gentle kiss against his smooth lips after reading the curiosity in Levi's eyes.

"I love how expressive you are. It's like you amplify every emotion. You make everything so much _more_." Erwin mumbled, musing his confession as he lost himself in Levi's innocent curiosity. His fingertips brushed across Levi's cheek, softly caressing his cheekbone, as he watched the dark-haired man blush a faint rose colour. "I wanted to ask you...if you could forgive me? I know we've come so far...from-"

"I already do." Levi replied, then pressed himself against Erwin's chest so the king couldn't see the amplified sorrow in his eyes. "There's nothing for me to forgive you for."

"Then," Erwin rushed to take advantage of Levi's pause for breath, "I propose...that this be the first night of our new lives for the rest of our lives. And we aren't going to think about that night - that raid - ever again. It's in the past. And we both did what we had to do to survive. I just...wanted to know if she said anything of importance, but I'm not surprised she didn't."

"What about King Zackly?" Levi asked, realizing that the king of Sina was still in their dungeons.

Erwin sighed and shrugged, his eyes twinkling with adoration for Levi and amusement for his question. "I'll meet with him and we'll see where we stand. I might threaten to charge him, I might let him go. Either way, he'll be shamed for not attending the wedding and that gives me fair advantage. We have many witnesses for what happened the night of the raid. If he tries to blackmail us, we have more than enough proof for our case. Either way, how we handle it is ultimately up to him, whether he cooperates with us or not. And when I'm done with him and Sina Kingdom, then we will leave it all behind us. Where it belongs."

Levi chuckled, amused by Erwin's reply. The man's words did make him feel better, and he found himself hugging Erwin closer, feeling warm again. "I like that idea." he replied, "Leaving it all in the past."

"That's what we're going to do." Erwin confirmed, "We have new things to focus on, new responsibilities. We're not going to forget that it happened, that would be foolish. But we are going to learn from it and move on, leave it as it happened. No questions, no regrets. We won't allow ourselves to be blinded by things out of our complete control. We have a kingdom to rule, people to care for, a world to liberate. There's more important things to focus our energy on. The main thing is we faced difficult times together. We surpassed all the odds and beat every challenge. And there's going to be more, there's always going to be more. But whatever obstacles we have to face," he paused to look down at Levi, gazing into his silver eyes as he cupped his cheek in his hand, caressing his beautiful prince, "We're going to face them together."

Levi smiled up at Erwin, his hand on the blonde's bicep. He felt warm and loved, accepted and, for the first time in his life, he felt like he had come home. "Together." he whispered, repeating his husband, "I like that."

The king and his prince curled around each other, falling asleep amidst their tangled sheets, wedding attire, and crowns. To the,m the night sky outside was nothing more than the natural darkness that occured in the world, restoring balance to the universe. Tomorrow they would awake and have their portrait painted as king and prince, husband and husband, after their wedding. And afterwards they would go sailing. In the days following, they would walk through their kingdom and speak to their citizens, understand their concerns, and eventually they would find a way to end the political turmoil that was growing between the tri-kingdoms. But they were confident that they would achieve their dreams and promote a goodness in the world that was long overlooked. They had each other, and together they were capable of fighting off the darkness each day. Tomorrow, the sun would rise again and bring them a new day, and for the king and his prince, it would be a new beginning, a start for their happily ever after.

* * *

\- The End -


End file.
